GMG Day 6: Finale

"Hey. Getting ready for the final match?" Mira asked as she entered Strider's room. By this point, she was comfortable doing so without knocking if she thought he wasn't doing anything.

"Hey, Mira. Yup. Looking forward to putting us back on top. I just hope the king doesn't do anything foolish in the meantime," Strider sighed. "Perhaps Natsu and I should switch places?"

"I don't think that'd work. If you're not there, it'll just attract more attention. Besides, the crowd loves you, and we gotta give 'em what they want," she giggled, sitting next to him. "And I don't think the King will hurt her. It might take some explaining to get our point across, but we'll manage it for sure."

"Are you sure you're ready?" Strider asked worriedly. Mira would be accompanying Wendy, Natsu, Carla, Lily, and Happy to rescue Lucy and Yukino.

"We are. Don't worry about us," Mira said softly, resting her head against his shoulder.

"That'll be difficult," Strider sighed.

"We'll be checking in with Warren from time to time to keep you guys posted. We'll get it done, don't worry," Mira said. Strider took her hand in his, caressing it gently. They sat in silence until they heard Makarov call out for everyone to assemble in the lobby.

"I guess that's that, then. Time to show the world what Fairy Tail is made of," Strider said with a smile.

"Honestly, I think Master might care more about the reward. He might finally be able to cover all the damages Gray and Natsu cause," Mira giggled. As they were about to exit, however, Strider suddenly stopped her. Tilting her chin up, he gave her a gentle kiss. Mira blushed as she felt it. While it wasn't as furious as their first kiss, there was something different about this one… something that struck her as more romantic. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into it, pushing her body against his. As they separated she breathed heavily, taking in his scent.

"What was that for?" she whispered.

"Felt right," he said, giving her another quick kiss. "Shall we?"

"Let's," she said with a bight smile, taking his arm in hers.

As they got downstairs, they found that everyone else was gathered - apparently waiting on them.

"Are you two ready?" Mavis asked with a giggle.

"MIRA! STRIDER! WHAT WERE YOU TWO DOING?!" Juvia demanded, taking Strider's other arm.

"Relax, Juvia," Mira sighed. If and when Juvia found out, she had a feeling she'd have to forever watch her back.

-o-

"Welcome to the final event of the Grand Magic Games! Mr. Yajima and I are joined by a very special guest; you know him, you love him, the face of the Grand Magic Games - MATO!" Chapati announced to the cheering crowd.

-o-

The people's reactions were explosive, clearly excited for the Final Day's event - which was likely the most anticipated of the entire tournament.

"Hey, you think Sabertooth is gonna win again?"

"No way! Strider could probably take out everyone by himself!"

"I'm hoping Mermaid Heel wins!"

-o-

"Now, the rules are very simple. Every member of each team will participate in a battle royale. Each team will select a leader. If you knock someone out, your team gets a point, but if the leader gets knocked out, the opposing team will get five points. The only catch is that no team will be able to know for sure who the other teams' leaders are beforehand. Each guild has a chance to win the Games today, though some have far more leeway than others! Now, without further ado, let's bring out the teams!" Chapati yelled as the crowd erupted once again.

"In last place, we have the team that's brimming over with testosterone! The hunting dogs turned tail chasers, led by the WILD and drunken Bacchus - QUATRO PUPPY!" Chapati announced. Quatro Puppy entered in an explosion of orange smoke. Semmes, Rocker, Novali, Jager, and Bacchus were all ready to run wild on the other guilds.

-o-

"Looks like we got a chance, fellas," Bacchus slurred. "Let's show them what we got!"

"WILD!" his teammates yelled in unison.

-o-

"In fifth place, we have the beautiful men and women of Blue Pegasus! Led by Ichiya Vandalay Kotobuki! I heard a rumor not long ago that the beautiful blonde bombshell, Jenny Realight, was seen with Strider of Fairy Tail after Day One! I wonder what's going on!" Chapati said, eliciting a raucous of cheers and boos from the crowd. Blue Pegasus appeared in a haze of pink smoke and sparkles, with Ichiya leading in front and the Trimens flanking him. They blew kisses to the ladies in the crowd. Meanwhile, Jenny had subbed in for Nichiya. She smiled and waved, smirking as she remembered her nightly stroll through the city with Strider.

-o-

"The parfum of victory is potent," Ichiya said dramatically.

"Maybe you could distract Strider?" Eve suggested to Jenny, eliciting stifled laughs from his teammates. She quickly grabbed his ear and began to pull on it violently.

"What was that, Eve?!" she demanded.

"Ow! Ow! Sorry, sorry!" Eve exclaimed. With a sigh, Jenny released him.

-o-

"In fourth is Lamia Scale! Can Lyon Vastia, the Ice Wizard that rivals Fairy Tail's Gray Fullbuster, bring the heat in today's battle? Or will this team get frozen in their tracks?" Chapati inquired. Under a green banner, Lyon led his team out. He was flanked by Yuka and Toby while Shelia and Jura rounded them out. Shelia egged the crowd on to cheer louder for them.

"Don't forgot that he doesn't have to do it alone. There's also the adorable God Slayer, Shelia, and the Wizard Saint, Jura!" Mato added.

"I agree with Mato. They certainly have a shot at winning the games today," Yajima said.

-o-

"Eager to fight Gray?" Jura asked Lyon.

"Indeed. I wonder how else he's improved? After all, I do still have seven years over him," Lyon smirked.

"To bad Wendy's not in the Games anymore," Shelia sighed. "But what about you, Jura? Who do you want to fight?"

"As if you need to ask," Yuka said.

"I am interested in fighting Strider again. Just as much, however, I'd be happy to try my hand at anyone on Fairy Tail," Jura said with a smile.

-o-

"Third up are the beautiful ladies of Mermaid Heel! They're one of the top teams to watch here, folks!" Chapati announced as Kagura led Millianna, Beth, Risley, and Arana to the arena. A magical rain cloud sprinkled over them. Kagura seemed to be more intense now than ever before.

-o-

'Erza Scarlet. She's the one who was closest to Jellal. She must know he's out by now, and likely even where he's hiding,' Kagura thought.

"You ready, Kagura?" Millianna asked.

"I am. Are you all?" Kagura inquired.

"Definitely," Risley grinned. "Can't wait to bring home the win."

-o-

"In second place, we have the five-time returning champions of the Grand Magic Games! Usually, they're in the top spot by now, but we've had more than a few surprises this year! Will they be relegated to second place or will they come out on top again?! Welcome to the arena - Sabertooth!" Chapati yelled to the cheering crowd. Led by Minerva, confident as always, the rest of the team followed, sure and confident.

-o-

'Don't worry, Lector. I'll get you back,' Sting thought.

"Make sure none of you hold back," Minerva said. "Be quick and efficient in how you deal with the others."

"What about Strider?" Olga asked.

"We'll leave him for last. The goal is to score as many points as quickly as we can," Minerva said.

"So long as he doesn't come after us, I've no reason to believe we won't," Rufus said, rolling his neck.

"You sure you're up for this?" Olga wondered.

"Indeed. Ready and able," Rufus said.

-o-

"And now, ladies and gentlemen - our first place team! They were once the strongest guild in all of Fiore. Can they reclaim that title today? Welcome to the arena - ERZA SCARLET…" the crowd cheered loudly for Fairy Tail's lead woman who took center stage. "…GRAY FULLBUSTER…" Lyon eyed his rival closely with a smirk as the fans cheered. "…GAJEEL REDFOX…" Rogue looked on with narrowed eyes; he wanted his shot at Gajeel. "LAXUS DREYAR…" the fans cheered again, hoping for a rendition of Laxus's fight against Raven Tail. "…and last, but certainly not least - STRIDER!"

The crowd exploded to their loudest cheer yet, chanting for their favorite wizard of the Games.

-o-

"THE THUNDER LEGION IS HERE FOR YOU, LAXUS!" Freed cheered frantically.

"KICK THEIR ASSES, GAJEEL!" Jet and Droy cheered. Gajeel grinned at them, locking eyes with Levy.

"LET'S GO ERZA! YOU CAN DO IT!" Cana and Bisca cheered.

"GRAY! SHOW 'EM HOW MAN WINS A FIGHT!" Elfman roared.

"Strider! Mira's cheering for you!" Lisanna chirped happily.

"STRIDER, STRIDER, HE'S OUR MAN! IF HE CAN'T DO IT, NO ONE CAN!" cheered Macao, Wakaba, Max, and Nab. They had prepared a banner for the team and were waving it excitedly.

-o-

"Natsu Dragneel, it seems, will not be joining the match. Looks like he might still be recovering from that fight against Sting and Rogue from Day Four! I certainly don't blame him - that was quite the fight!" Chapati said.

"Indeed, but his replacement is one of the other Wizards to beat in the Games. While we haven't seen Laxus in action as much, he only needed that one fight to make an impact. Along with Strider and Jura, I'd say he might be one of the top three to beat," Mato said.

"I certainly agree, Mato. I hope our teams have a strategy to deal with Strider, though," Chapati said.

-o-

Strider smiled at the other teams as they finally reached the center. Quatro Puppy looked at him warily while Bacchus grinned, eager to fight him again. He winked at Jenny, who blew him a kiss. As his eyes traveled to Lamia Scale, they locked with Jura's. The Wizard Saint smirked at Strider as though he knew what to expect. Strider returned the smirk with one of his own before he let his eyes trail over the teams again. When his gaze reached Mermaid Heel he gave them a warm smile before his eyes locked with Kagura's.

"Best of luck," Strider said to the swordswoman. Kagura tilted her head, surprised that he acknowledged her.

"To you as well," she said simply.

"I still haven't forgotten our wager, Minerva," Strider said as his eyes traveled to Sabertooth.

"Nor have I," Minerva sighed. "But where's your busty blonde weakling?"

"Still recovering, unfortunately," he said.

"A tragedy," Minerva sighed.

"And where's your partner? I thought all you dragon raised Dragon Slayers had an Exceed partner?" Strider asked Sting as his eyes traveled to the Sabertooth dugout. He could only identify a sad looking Frosche. He saw Sting look sideways at Minerva. "You don't go easy on your teammates either, hmm?"

"Sabertooth does not accept loss," Minerva said.

"Obviously that's not true. Two losses yesterday, by my count," Strider sneered, unusual for him. Minerva had no retort to that. "I've changed my mind. I'd rather you return Sting's friend to him."

"What?" Minerva and Sting shocked.

"I don't think Lucy would mind. She's a kind soul," Strider said, looking at Erza. The redhead smiled and nodded. "Return his Exceed. Immediately."

"How da—" Minerva began.

"This way, you'll get to keep your pride. Otherwise, I'll make sure that Lucy doesn't accept any apology short of you begging on your knees. I'm sure this'll motivate Sting to fight even harder," Strider said.

Minerva glared at him, doing her best not to show any emotion. With a heavy sigh, she pulled Lector out and tossed him at the Dragon Slayer.

"LECTOR! ARE YOU OKAY?!" Sting cried happily, hugging his friend.

"STING! Yeah! I'm fine!" Lector cried back, doing his best not to cry.

"Go ahead and meet up with Frosche, buddy. I'll see you soon," Sting said, grinning wide. Lector nodded and quickly ran off to meet with the dancing Exceed.

"I…" Sting began, looking at Strider.

"Thank Minerva for agreeing," Strider said. She was surprised that he passed it on to her but sighed.

"Thank you, M'lady," Sting said begrudgingly.

"Enough. Make sure to do well," she instructed.

"That said, the finale is about to begin. Best of luck, Strider," Jura said with a small smile.

"I look forward to seeing you out there, Jura," Strider said. The others recoiled a bit as they felt the power that radiated off the two Wizards. The crowd cheered as they felt it as well; they wanted to see another round between the two powerhouses.

"I suggest you watch your back. You never know what could be there," Minerva said.

"So I've learned the hard way," Strider sighed.

"Just make sure you go easy on me," Jenny said as she slid closer to him.

"And here I thought you might like it a bit more rough," Strider said.

"Not in front of everyone, I don't," Jenny whispered.

"I'll be gentle, then," Strider said. The two stared passionately at each other, interrupted only by a strident cough from Erza. "Ah. Right. My bad," he stated.

-o-

"This was an excellent strategy, Sixth Master," Mavis praised Makarov.

"Thank you, First Master. But it was necessary. A two pronged attack, is the best approach," Makarov said, thinking of Natsu, Mira, Wendy, and the Exceeds heading for Lucy and Yukino.

-o-

"Contestants, we have a special stage for you today: the entire city of Crocus!" Chapati exclaimed. The teams were suddenly transported to various points in the city from which they would advance on to find the others. As soon as they were in place, they began to split and divert into smaller groups to scout for opponents. Hibiki was quick at work with Archive, looking at a map that showed the magical output in a certain part of the city. Meanwhile, Rufus had taken the high ground and was scouting for movement.

-o-

"We have to make sure we win this. For Lucy," Erza said.

"Not just for her," Gajeel said.

"Gajeel's right. This is for all of our friends," Gray said.

"They had to endure seven years of pain and heartache. It's the least that we can do," Laxus said with a smile.

"Time to take care of business, then," Strider said, erupting high into the sky.

-o-

The other teams quickly got to work. Ren and Eve soon came across Arana and Beth in their search and eliminated the two quickly; meanwhile, Toby and Yuka eliminated Novali from Quatro Puppy.

"Wild," Novali said meekly as his body was transported to the Quatro Puppy dugout.

-o-

"What's this? Except for Strider, Fairy Tail hasn't moved a muscle!" Chapati said, surprised.

-o-

"What's going on?!" Makarov exclaimed.

"Why aren't they moving?" Elfman asked, just as surprised.

"I've no idea. HEY! MOVE!" Cana yelled.

-o-

As the match continued, more were eliminated.

-o-

"Oh, crap," Yuka grumbled. Toby turned to see what was up, but was quickly eliminated by Kagura.

Not to far away, Millianna had easily beaten Jager and Semmes.

-o-

"Up above!" Sting shouted as he drove Bacchus's face into the ground. Rocker was the only member of Quatro Puppy still active, but he was soon taken care of by Jura, who easily knocked him out without even resorting to his Magic.

"Apologies, Goldmine," the Iron Rock Wizard mused as he searched for more prey.

-o-

Despite the movements of the other Guilds, Fairy Tail still had yet to make a move.

-o-

"Don't they know that Lucy's freedom is at stake?! Or have they forgotten!?" Makarov asked, exasperated.

"They haven't forgotten. To win, we have to remain calm. We cannot afford any significant losses, especially when so many teams can still catch up. Since the Games began, I've been analyzing the enemies magical power, their psychology, and their movement. I've memorized everything from the past five days, and so far it's all gone exactly as I calculated," Mavis said, smiling.

"What?" Makarov asked, surprised.

"I've already conveyed the plan to our team. That's how a tactician works," Mavis said, a glint in her eye. She seemed to be in her element.

"What just happened?" Levy asked aloud.

"Don't ask me, but it looks like our first master is a serious egghead," Cana said, smiling.

"Begin Operation: Fairy Stars!" Mavis exclaimed. Suddenly, Team Fairy Tail sprang into action, moving quickly to the spots Mavis assigned them.

-o-

"Fairy Tail has finally hit the streets of Crocus!" Chapati exclaimed.

"What kind of crazy play are they trying to pull?" Yajima questioned.

"Got me, but it's definitely going to be hard to rack up points this late in the game," Mato commented.

"Well, we'll just have to wait and see," Chapati said.

-o-

"Uhh… First Master?" Makarov asked.

"At this point, there's a 97% chance that Rufus will take action," Mavis said.

-o-

Standing atop the same cathedral as his first event, Rufus watched over the Games.

"I see you, Fairies. Let's see if we can't end this right now. Night of Shooting Stars!" Rufus shouted, sending out his bright lights. Immediately as he shot them, however, they began to crash around the surrounding area - except one that found a target in Laxus, who easily absorbed it.

"What?!" Rufus exclaimed.

-o-

"What just happened?" Makarov asked, startled.

"Strider. He was able to telekinetically divert Rufus's attacks - except one that was aimed at Laxus, who shares the same element as the attack. He'll now become quite agitated, causing to not think clearly. While in this state of shock and confusion there is a 68% chance that Rufus will attempt to confront our closet team member, and a 32% chance he'll simply hold his current position," Mavis explained as Strider came into view. Instead of attacking Rufus, however, Strider zoomed away.

"Why didn't he attack?" Makarov asked, surprised.

-o-

"So Rufus can know exactly where we are?" Gray asked, surprised. If that were the case, it would explain his overwhelming victory in the first event.

"Yes. It's imperative we take him out first," Mavis said. "Strider, that will—"

"Wait, First Master. I want to take care of Rufus," Gray said.

"Unfortunately, according to my calculations your chances of winning against Rufus are slim," Mavis frowned.

"I don't care about that! I KNOW I can beat him!" Gray exclaimed.

Mavis looked at Strider, Gray following her gaze.

"Sounds good to me. He's all yours, Gray," Strider said with a light smile that Gray returned.

"I'd like to add something as well, First Master," Erza said.

"Hmm?" Mavis wondered.

"There's little doubt Strider is the strongest member on our team, or in the entire of the Games. He could likely lead us to victory by himself. That said…" Erza suddenly trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"You'd all like to have some fun?" Strider inquired. His team nodded. "That's fine with me. There's no such thing as a one man guild, and you've all shown me that a guild is a family. I, for one, trust my family. I've no doubt you'll lead us to victory. Besides, I imagine that you all have some scores that need settling. No doubt Laxus wants Olga."

"No kidding. Seems like he'd be pretty fun," Laxus smirked.

"And I'd certainly like to see Kagura and Erza square off," Strider mused.

"As would I," Erza smiled.

"I see. In that case, I've a new plan that should accommodate you all," Mavis said with a happy smile.

-o-

"They're aware that Strider could win the event on his own. But this isn't about Strider; it's about all of us," Mavis said, her heart soaring to see her beloved guild so intent on winning the Games.

-o-

"No one…said anything about an ambush," Eve mumbled as Gajeel stood over him.

"Heh. Them's the breaks, kid," Gajeel said with a smirk before turning to Hibiki and Ren.

"Go! I can take him!" Ren shouted at Hibiki. That was a miscalculation; with an Iron Dragon Claw, Gajeel crushed Ren against the side of a building.

"I don't get it! Do they have someone that can out think my Archive Magic?" Hibiki asked as he fled.

"How'd you guess?" Gray asked with a grin as he appeared in an alleyway.

"NO! NOT THE FACE!" Hibiki implored him. Gray acquiesced, simply choosing to freeze him.

-o-

"It's up to me, it seems! With one fell—" Ichiya began before a powerful elbow from Jura crushed him into the ground.

"You were careless, my friend," the Wizard Saint mused as he looked for his next opponent.

-o-

"Damn it, guys! Looks like it's just me left!" Jenny moaned as she ran around Crocus. It wasn't long until she met her match. "No! Not her!"

"Hello, Jenny," Erza said with a devious glint in her eye.

"Erza!" Jenny squealed before running the other way. "Strategic withdrawal!"

She didn't get far before she ran up against something hard.

"My apologies, Jenny," Strider said as he helped her up. With Erza appearing right behind her, Jenny was sandwiched between two powerful foes.

"Ah. Now I know that you wouldn't hurt me," Jenny said, wrapping her arms around his neck. Strider raised an eyebrow at her method of attack while Erza began to turn a bright red.

-o-

"Looks like she's taking a cue out of Minerva's playbook," Mavis giggled.

"Mira won't like this," Lisanna laughed.

"RELEASE HIM AT ONCE, HUSSY!" Juvia shouted adorably at Jenny, eliciting more chuckles from the guild.

Bisca and Cana traded a glance and sighed. Neither of then were too pleased about being left out like this.

-o-

"You know I'd never hurt you, Jenny," Strider said, returning the hug before taking a step back. With a wistful sigh, he pointed behind her. "Erza, however…"

"I would be more than happy to," Erza said, knocking her out quickly.

"That said, I'm more than happy to catch you in case you fall," Strider said, holding the blonde gently.

"Thanks. Good luck," Jenny said flirtatiously, giving him a quick peck on the cheek before being teleported to the Blue Pegasus dugout.

"STRIDER!" Erza suddenly yelled.

"I swear I didn't see that coming either," Strider said.

"I'm beginning to think that you're more cunning than you let on," Erza grumbled.

"Not at all. I'm a hammer that nails all the problems," Strider said.

"That doesn't exactly help your case," Erza sighed. "Anyway, I think I know where I should head next."

"Best of luck. Careful, though. She's no joke," Strider said.

"I hope to see that for myself," Erza said, rushing off.

-o-

"It appears the rumors are true," Makarov mused, looking at Master Mavis. She had laid out the plan for them and the guild was nothing short of shocked by her brilliance. "Her excellent understanding of strategy and psychology led her to numerous victories, as well as earned her the name - The Fairy Tactician."

-o-

Strider was walking along a cobblestone road when a burst of black wind landed at his feet. He looked up and saw the young God Slayer looking defiantly at him.

"Shelia," he greeted.

"Hi, Strider!" she exclaimed. "You ready to rumble?!"

"Only if you're sure," he said, bracing himself.

"God Slayer Secret Art: Heavenly Gathering of Clouds!" Shelia shouted, sending her strongest attack at Strider. Strider held out his hand and redirected the black wind at Shelia, who barely dodged it. She landed closer to him and began to strike him fast and hard. Strider easily deflected each attack before rocketing her back. Strider waited patiently for her to get up and heal.

"Sky God Bellow!" she yelled as she closed the distance between them again. Strider cut through it, the sword stopping just short of Shelia. Reeling it back, he thrusted his other hand forward and applied a powerful telekinetic burst straight to her head. Shelia felt the air pressure around her begin to shift and contort quickly, causing her a sudden and severe headache. Coupled with sharp telekinetic blows she felt on her head, it was enough to knock the young girl out. Strider waited until Chapati finally declared her out before pressing his hand to her head again. Shelia shot up, startled.

"WHAT?! WHAT HAPPENED?!" she yelled.

"You were knocked out, I'm afraid," he said apologetically.

"WHAT? HOW?!" she demanded.

"My Magic," he chuckled, eliciting a deadpan look from her. "Sorry, bad timing."

"Aww…" she pouted, looking down. Strider rested a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"There's no reason to look so glum. Your Magic is very powerful. And just like Wendy, you use it to help people when you can. There's no doubt that you're one of the better and kinder Wizards of your generation. Whenever you want a rematch, let me know," he said gently. Shelia smiled back and gave him a thumbs up.

"Thanks, Strider," she said as she was teleported back to Lamia Scale's camp.

-o-

"That was pretty sweet of him," Cana said.

"No kidding. Looks like he's good with kids, too," Bisca said, rocking Asuka.

"Mama, what's Papa doing?" Asuka asked, pointing at Strider and causing Bisca's to turn bright.

"He's… just working, sweetheart," Bisca sighed.

"Oooh! Can I go?!" Asuka asked excitedly.

"Maybe another time," Bisca said.

-o-

Strider continued his walk, looking for another opponent. The contestants were thinning out and only a few of the stronger ones remained - all of Fairy Tail, all of Sabertooth, Jura and Lyon from Lamia Scale, and Kagura and Millianna for Mermaid Heel. Fairy Tail held a dominant lead, with Strider only scoring a single point thus far.

"Me-OW, not you!" Millianna cried out as she suddenly came upon Strider.

"Hello, Millianna," Strider said pleasantly.

"Kitten Blast!" she shouted, sending a tube at Strider. He easily knocked it out of his trajectory, eliciting a whine from her. "Aww, man!"

As she retreated, Strider followed slowly. A white laser suddenly shot out at her, but Millianna managed to hop away at the last minute and right into Strider.

"Hi again," Strider said with a chuckle, extending his hand. Millianna smiled and took it as she looked back to see that Sting had appeared in front of them with Minerva at his side.

"Two on two?" Strider offered.

"How about three on one?" Sting asked Millianna.

"Eww, no! You're creepy!" Millianna shot at Sting.

"WHAT?!" Sting yelled.

"Scary," Millianna said as she retreated behind Strider.

"Easily angered as well," Strider mused.

"You were all grinning when that witch hurt Lucy! No way I'd team up with you," Millianna said as she came out from behind Strider and stood at his side. Sting merely frowned, his eyes shifting to Minerva.

"If you don't intend to fight, then leave," Minerva said coldly as she shot an attack at Millianna. She quickly retreated, with Minerva hot on her tail.

"Just you and me, big guy," Sting said.

"That appears to be the case. Looks like we'll be able to have that match after all," Strider said. With a grin, Sting quickly pounced on Strider. Strider countered him almost immediately, grabbing his face and driving it into the ground. Shifting his hand to Sting's hair, Strider threw him at a building. With a swift flourish, the building collapsed on the Dragon Slayer. Sting wasn't down for long, blasting the rubble away with his White Dragon Roar. He then quickly re-emerged and shifted into Dragon Force. Strider was impressed with the increased speed and ferocity of the Dragon Slayer, who pounced yet again. Sting was able to get a few hits in on Strider as his speed was simply far more pronounced.

"You don't look so tough!" Sting shouted.

"Looks can be deceiving," Strider responded. Sting's body suddenly locked up. "You're certainly faster than I am, though."

"Crap! Let me go!" Sting shouted.

"If you insist," Strider said, punching him square in the gut. Sting coughed up some blood as he felt a rib crack. His body doubled over, Strider's fist still in his stomach. He slumped to the ground, wheezing as Strider went behind him.

"It's… not… over… yet…" Sting groaned between drawn out breaths. It was all he could do just to stand up. Strider soon had his arms around the Dragon Slayer's neck, applying a vicious sleeper hold. Sting struggled to escape, but felt his mind continuously traveling to the pain in his stomach. His flailing lessened and lessened until finally, he stopped moving. Checking his pulse to make sure he was still alive, Strider let him go.

-o-

"And Strider has eliminated Sting form Sabertooth! Now Fairy Tail is the only team left with all of its members still active!" Chapati exclaimed.

-o-

"Ah. Lyon. Hello," Strider greeted as he came across the Ice Make Wizard.

"Strider. Good to see you," Lyon said, sizing him up.

"Hmm… I think Gray wants to fight you, and truth be told, I'm curious to see who comes out on top in that fight," Strider said, turning away. Lyon looked on in surprise, unsure of whether he should thank his lucky stars or try and take the initiative.

"I believe Jura is looking for you," he finally said.

"Oh?" Strider asked.

"Last I saw, he was heading in the direction of two lightning attacks that way," Lyon said, nodding to the east.

"I see. Thank you. Best of luck against Gray," Strider said, heading off in the direction. He opted to walk as opposed to fly, curious of who else he might come across.

'Let's see… We're all still in the running. Rufus, Olga, Rogue, and Minerva as well. Millianna, Kagura, Lyon, and Jura,' Strider thought.

As he continued his walk, he began to hear someone fighting near by. Making his way over, Strider felt his anger rise. Millianna was up against Minerva - and was getting the same treatment Lucy had received.

"You shouldn't have angered me, little kitten," Minerva spat as she sent the bloodied and bruised Millianna into a pole. Minerva was about to attack her again when she felt her body seize.

"Ah. You again," she said, sensing his presence.

"It seems as though you still haven't learned your lesson," Strider said as he helped Millianna up.

"Th-Thanks," Millianna said softly. She fell forward a bit but Strider managed to catch her.

"It's no trouble. Why don't you take a walk, yeah? Looks like you could use it," Strider said gently. Millianna was about to protest but sighed. She slumped off towards a large structure where one could hear the clashing of steel.

"It's rude to interrupt a fight," Minerva said coolly as she regained control of her body. She sent an attack at Strider which he telekinetically blocked. Rolling his neck, Strider's eyes and mouth began to blaze blue, and as he turned to her, Minerva felt a certain sense of dread.

"Fall," Strider whispered. Minerva's body suddenly collapsed onto the ground, cratering it. She felt as though the pressure of the world was atop her, hardly allowing her time to breathe. And as quick as it came, it was gone. Slowly, she made her way to her feet again. However, Strider offered her no quarter; as soon as she was up, he whipped her back. Minerva quickly used her magic to teleport herself to the middle of the courtyard. Just as quickly, Strider was upon her again, using telekinesis to blast the air around her and buffet her back and forth. Minerva got a feeling of what she had done to Lucy. She was now just as helpless and bruised as the blonde was during Day Four's event.

"I won't go down that easily," Minerva said as Strider finally stopped and gave her a moments rest.

"I certainly hope not," Strider said viciously. He blocked some more attacks that Minerva sent at him, and with each block, her attacks became more and more wild. "Is that all you've got?"

"SILENCE!" she roared, sending another powerful attack his way. The explosion buffeted him back a few inches and sent up a mass of dust. Strider scoffed as he saw her plan of attack; she wanted to blind him and get in close. He saw her flying at him through the dust and quickly countered, driving her into the ground with a free hand.

"You're losing it," Strider scolded her. "What your father must think of you."

"How da-dare you," Minerva snarled as she tried to get up. Strider simply drove her back into the ground, however.

"A scared little girl. What are you trying to do, I wonder? Are you trying to surpass him? Or are you merely trying to impress him?" Strider wondered, pressing a hand to her head. "Or… perhaps I could just have you tell me?"

"What?" Minerva asked, surprised.

"So curious… mmm… no. Not yet, at least. For now, we'll leave this here," Strider said. He forced Minerva to look directly at him as he drew himself to full height. Making a gun with his fingers, he shot a telekinetic burst straight at her; the pressure was enough to knock her out cold. Satisfied, he continued his search.

-o-

"Minerva Orland is out, folks! Not a surprise as Strider dominated yesterday's event against her!" Chapati exclaimed.

-o-

"Bastard…" Jiemma snarled. Strider had shown up the guild Jiemma had spent years bringing to the top in just a few short days, and he wouldn't let that go without a fight.

-o-

Strider passed by the library on his way to Olga and Laxus. He figured Jura would be just as interested in meeting the two lightning wizards. He paused as he heard the sound of battle die out, to be replaced by Gray's voice.

Melding into the shadows, he saw that Gray was fighting Rufus. The Memory Make Wizard was crushing Gray underneath his Gravity as Strider watched in intrigue.

'Gray's the one who wanted this. Hope he didn't bite off more than he could chew, though. Rufus is strong,' Strider thought.

Rufus was grinning madly as he crushed Gray under the gravity. His smile soon flipped as Gray slowly but surely got up. Strider smiled as his teammates power and intensity began to shine through.

"Alright… no more games!" Gray shouted, finally on his feet. His knees wobbled slightly, but he was otherwise standing tall.

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! You should be crushed right now!" Rufus said, his mind buzzing.

"I admit, Memory Make Magic is pretty amazing. But… there's something you didn't account for," Gray said.

"Oh? And what's that?" Rufus asked.

"My memories. I remember every fight that I've ever won or lost. I remember all the pain that I've been through by myself and with my friends. It's those memories that keep me going," Gray said, bringing his hands back to his signature position.

"Go ahead. I've memorized it," Rufus said, bringing two fingers to his right temple.

"Ice Make… INFINITE MAGIC!" Gray roared. A flurry of wild attacks and figures began to surge out of Gray's attack. His Magic began to take on forms he had never used before; and far to many forms for Rufus to take in in such a short while.

"But that's impossible!" Rufus screamed. His moment of impotence was all Gray needed.

"ICE BRINGER!" Gray yelled as he hit Rufus full force. The attack was enough as Rufus was on his back and knocked out, his mouth open in shock. As his hat flew off his head, Gray caught it and took it as a symbol of his victory. The crowd cheered for Gray; and Fairy Tail was absolutely uproarious in their applause.

Suddenly, Gray heard a clapping. He turned around and looked up to see Strider. He grinned and gave a bow to his friend.

"How long have you been there?" Gray asked as Strider jumped down.

"Long enough. That has to be one of the greatest displays of Magic I've ever seen. You might've edged past Natsu there," Strider said encouragingly.

"Ha. As if I didn't do that a long time ago!" Gray said smugly.

"I ran into Lyon and told him you'd be looking for him. He's not too far from here. Give him hell," Strider said, pointing Gray in the right direction. With a thumbs up, Gray ran to fight his friend and rival.

-o-

Strider finally reached Laxus and Olga. They were both standing and staring at each other with smiles; the buildings behind them were demolished as a result of their tests of power. A pair of footsteps broke the monotony.

"At last, I've found some capable warriors," Jura said as he calmly walked up to them.

"Wizard Saint Jura," Olga said. He remembered that Jura had demolished his score on the third day.

"So the monster shows himself," Laxus said with a smirk. Olga was about to speak again when they heard another pair of footsteps.

"Strider. Joining the party?" Laxus asked his teammate.

"You know it," Strider said, a mad gleam in his eyes as they darted between Jura and Olga.

-o-

"AMAZING, FOLKS! WE HAVE FOUR - COUNT 'EM, FOUR - POWERHOUSES IN ONE SPOT! THIS SHOULD BE EXCITING!" Chapati roared. The crowd roared with thunderous applause that the four could feel all the way in the city.

-o-

"Strider, Laxus, Jura, and Olga," Cana mused. "This should be fun."

"What's wrong, Master? You look worried," Lisanna said.

"I hope Laxus and Strider don't destroy the city," Makarov groaned.

-o-

"So, how should we play this?" Jura wondered.

"Laxus?" Strider deferred.

"I wanna see just how strong his Black Lightning is," Laxus said, looking at Olga.

"Then it looks like it's time for our rematch, Jura," Strider said.

"Indeed. No holding back this time," Jura said.

Jura waved off all pretense. He launched himself directly at Strider with thunderous force. Strider followed the action. As both men collided in mid air, the resulting shockwave demolished the block. Laxus and Olga were both startled by the fight. Jura and Strider had seemingly forgotten they could even use Magic. Each punch and kick was heard and felt throughout the city.

'Good thing our first match wasn't a fistfight. He would've crushed me,' Strider thought. He knew that his Telekinesis was the most formidable Magic during the Games, but when it came to hand to hand combat, Strider was far outclassed by several of the wizards there - most prominently Jura. Without the aid of telekinesis, his punches and kicks would've been as ineffective as a normal person's. Jura simply had more weight behind his own physical attacks; whereas Strider's blows would've just glanced off.

-o-

"I don't believe it, folks! They've decided not to use magic and are settling this match in a good old fashioned fistfight! It looks like Jura has the advantage there, though!" Chapati yelled.

-o-

"Jura's getting some really good hits on him," Macao said, surprised.

"Strider's strength lies in his Magic, swordsmanship, and sheer will. Physically, however, he's just as effective as a normal fighter would be," Mavis said.

"Does that mean Jura might win like this?" Bisca asked.

"It's possible. Jura is larger than Strider and has conditioned to be as strong as a rock. His strikes simply have more power behind them. That said, this isn't a fistfight. In the end, I believe Magic is what will determine the winner," Mavis said.

-o-

Finally, Strider used his Magic to blow Jura back. He pressed on his advantage as they continued their fight through the air. It wasn't long until they both ended up back in Domus Flau, in the arena.

-o-

"Our fighters are back in the arena, folks!" Chapati exclaimed. Strider and Jura continued their attacks on each other at full force. The people could feel the shockwaves their impacts caused; each sent a thump through the stadium.

-o-

"I haven't felt this alive in years!" Jura yelled, getting a few hits in on Strider's chest. Strider winced but soon blocked a punch and began laying into Jura. He let up for a fraction of a second and swung around Jura, grabbing him around the waist. With a telekinetically propelled German Suplex, he sent Jura flying past one of the statues around Domus Flau. Strider took to the air again, this time connecting with Jura as they cratered atop a platform where Erza was locking swords with Kagura. As Jura got up, neither seemed to notice the swordswomen. They were solely focused on their opponent.

Jura launched himself at Strider, this time using a bit of Magic to propel himself forward. They fell off the platform on which they were fighting and started to spiral down. Suddenly, Strider grabbed Jura's face. Jura looked on in surprise, but smiled a bit, knowing what was going to happen. With a sickening thud and crunch, Strider telekinetically drove Jura in to the concrete below, being careful not fatally injure the man. When the dust cleared, Strider stood triumphant over the Wizard Saint, who had a smile plastered on his face.

-o-

"Ladies and gentlemen, Strider - again - has beaten the Wizard Saint, Jura!" Chapati exclaimed.

-o-

"Until next time," Strider said as Jura's body teleported away. He levitated back to the top of the platform to get a good look at the city and what was going on. As he heard the clangs behind him, he looked on to see Kagura and Erza duking it out, with Millianna spectating.

"When did you three get here?" Strider asked Millianna, who yelped a bit and landed a tube on him. Strider chuckled as it glanced off. Millianna was still a bit weak from her bout with Minerva.

"We've BEEN here. You and Jura are the ones who appeared out of nowhere," Millianna grumbled.

"Ah. Apologies," Strider said. "So looks like Olga and Rogue are still in play."

"WHAT?! SO KAGURA AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES LEFT FROM?!" Millianna asked in shock.

"And Lyon, I think," Strider said.

"Ugh…" Millianna grumbled. "You guys already won. Why isn't the event over?"

"Looks like we're playing until the last man or team is standing," Strider said. "Care to try your hand at me?"

"No thanks. I'm just waiting for Erzy or Kagura to finish," she said.

"Alright then. Well, I certainly don't want to get between these two," Strider said.

"Aren't you swordsman?" Millianna asked.

"I am, but not as fast as Kagura or Erza are. You can barely even see them attack," Strider said, slightly dumbfounded. Kagura and Erza were both a blur as their swords clash against each other. Neither relented, and Strider had a feeling that if he walked between them, his telekinesis would barely be enough to stop him from being sliced into hundreds of pieces. Taking to the sky, Strider headed towards a burst of shadow from a nearby walkway. Getting closer, he saw Gajeel and Rogue locked in battle. To his surprise, however, Rogue seemed different. The young Dragon Slayer had Gajeel by the throat, threatening to crush it. As Gajeel saw Strider, however, he stopped him from interfering.

"NO! He's mine!" Gajeel barked. Strider nodded, levitating out of sight, but remaining close by.

Rogue threw Gajeel to the ground and loomed over him. "You can't beat me," he said in a distorted voice.

"Heh. If Salamander can do it, so can I," Gajeel said, grinning. He opened his mouth and started to consume the shadows around him.

"WHAT?!" Rogue yelled, shocked.

-o-

"He's eating the shadows!" Levy exclaimed.

-o-

Gajeel slowly got up as his figure changed. His entire body was covered in metal, but he was exuding a shadowy aura. He had a wild grin on his face as he advanced towards Rogue, who prepared to block his attack. Suddenly, Gajeel disappeared and attacked Rogue from behind.

"An Iron Shadow Dragon?!" Rogue cried in shock.

-o-

"LIKE A BOSS," Jet said as Droy cheered. Levy was just as happy, if not more.

-o-

Rogue melted into the shadow as he tried to escape. Like a predator tracking its prey, Gajeel quickly followed.

-o-

"Now we gotta watch two shadows fight?" Bixlow asked, grinning. "Man, this keeps getting better and better!"

"Bixlow, can you make out who is who?" Freed asked.

"I'm not sure," Bixlow said, taking his helmet off to get a better look. "But Gajeel is the faster one… I think."

"You think?" Evergreen asked worriedly.

-o-

Suddenly, a hand extended out from the shadow and dipped into the neighboring one. Gajeel began to pull Rogue out.

-o-

From the sidelines, Strider watched on in interest.

'Now that's impressive. To bad Talion couldn't show me that,' he thought with a smile.

-o-

'He's pulling me out from my shadow? But how?' Rogue thought. He didn't have time to think about anything else as Gajeel threw him into the air.

"SAY GOODNIGHT! IRON SHADOW DRAGON ROAR!" Gajeel yelled as a vicious blast hit Rogue full force. Strider saw something circle Rogue as the Dragon Slayer collapsed back on the ground.

Gajeel had reverted back to his original self. Suddenly, he saw the shadow coming out from Rogue. He saw a shadow begin to exit Rogue.

"Ha. Looks like you're not quite there yet, kid. Don't worry. I'll make a man of you yet," the shadow said as it began to slink away. Strider suddenly stomped on the shadow, stopping it for a moment.

"A shade?" Strider asked softly.

"Ah. The Telekinetic Wizard. I've been watching you," the shadow said quietly. "Shadow. Not shade."

"What are you doing here?" Strider asked.

"As if I'd tell you. Your Magic won't work me, and you know this. I'm afraid I've no more time to spare. Until next time," it said, slinking away.

"What the hell was that?" Gajeel asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. It seemed to be Rogue's shadow, but it split apart from him. Hmm…" Strider hummed.

-o-

"Master Mavis, have you ever seen anything like that?" Makarov asked, worried.

"Never. It's a shadow… but it seems malevolent," Mavis said, just as worried.

-o-

"Please, stop," a small voice suddenly pleaded from behind Strider and Gajeel. They turned and saw Frosche, arms outstretched and crying, protecting Rogue from more harm. "He's hurt really bad. Please don't kill him."

Gajeel sat in front of Rogue; taking on that new shadow form had really taken a lot out of him.

"Don't worry. The match is over, and that's not my style," Gajeel said.

Strider knelt closer to Frosche.

"You're Frosche, right?" he asked gently. Frosche nodded. "That's very brave of you, standing up for your friend."

"My best friend," Frosche said.

"If it's okay with you, I'd like to make sure he's alright," Strider said.

"Don't hurt him," Frosche implored.

"I promise I won't," Strider said. Frosche nodded as he let Strider pass.

Strider put his hand on Rogue's head and whispered something. With a sharp intake of breath, Rogue woke up.

"Rogue! You're okay!" Frosche cried as he went over to his friend.

"Frosche. Of course I am," Rogue said, smiling and rubbing his friend's head as Frosche cried.

"I was so worried," Frosche said.

"What happened?" Rogue said. Then it dawned on him. "I lost."

"Strider?" Rogue continued, looking at the man next to him. Strider smiled kindly at Rogue.

"Tell me, Rogue. What do you remember?" Strider asked.

"Gajeel…" Rogue said. Strider waved his hand at Gajeel who nodded at Rogue.

"Did something talk to you?" Strider asked.

"What… wait… no, it's coming back. My shadow," Rogue said fearfully as he looked at his shadow. To his surprise, there was nothing there. "It's…"

"Yes, it escaped. I'm afraid I'm not certain how to deal with them effectively. Some are possessive, but this one seems more… protective," Strider said.

"I see. Looks like Gajeel separated me from it with his attack," Rogue said, trying to move. His body refused to listen, however. He simply whispered a quick thanks to Gajeel.

"Rest up. It's almost done," Strider said, clapping Gajeel on the shoulder. He erupted through the ceiling, causing a massive boulder to fall near Rogue, who clenched.

"Does he need to break something whenever he leaves?" Rogue asked exasperatedly. Gajeel simply chuckled as he rested against the wall, taking a moment to recover.

-o-

'Anything from Mira or the others?' Strider asked Warren.

'Nothing. Something seems to be blocking my telepathy,' Warren said.

'Blocking it? Really?' Strider asked, surprised and worried.

'Yeah. I'm gonna keep trying, though,' Warren said.

'Alright,' Strider said.

-o-

Going around the city, Strider saw that Laxus had the upper hand on Olga, Lyon and Gray were both evenly matched if not a bit tired, and both Kagura and Erza were going at it with renewed intensity.

"Boo," Strider said as he crept up behind Millianna, who shrieked in terror.

"JERK! KITTEN BLAST!" Millianna yelled, trying to catch him off guard. The attack wrapped around his arm, surprising her. Strider pulled the tube towards him and Millianna crashed against him, falling back.

"Ugh…" she groaned, getting up.

"They're still going at it, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah. Who do think is gonna win?" she asked.

"It's difficult to say. Both are amazingly skilled," Strider said. "I can't think of anyone that could last this long against either of them. They're made for each other."

"No kidding. But wait - why aren't you fighting?" she asked.

"Well, the only ones left besides you are taken," Strider said.

"Lucky me," Millianna grumbled.

"You've made it this far. I'd say that takes a fair amount of skill," Strider said encouragingly.

"Now you're just trying not to hurt my feelings," Millianna sighed.

"I mean it. I believe Erza's told me a bit about you. You're certainly powerful - of that, I'm sure," Strider said.

"Oh? What did she tell you?" Millianna wondered, intrigued.

"Most of what happened at the Tower of Heaven," Strider said. As he saw the color drain from her face, he scolded himself. "Ah. Forgive me. That was… tactless."

"What did she say about it?" Millianna asked quietly.

"Enough," Strider said. "It sounded terrible, that much is certain. What you and your friends went through was… horrifying."

"Jellal…" Millianna growled. Strider looked on in worry as he saw the tears forming in her eyes.

"Calm down," he whispered.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" she shouted at him. The outburst drew Erza and Kagura's attention. They looked at their friend, worry evident in their eyes.

"After what he did to us… to me. Erza. Kagura!" Millianna yelled. "When I get my hands on him…"

"Millianna…" Erza said softly. It was tearing her up inside, being unable to tell her old friend that Jellal was so close by. She exchanged a glance with Strider, who sighed and rested a comforting hand on Millianna's shoulder.

"There'll be time for that later," he said gently. "Right now, you've other things to focus on."

"That's the only thing I've been focused on for the last seven years," Millianna said. "That's what Kagura's been training me for!"

Strider looked surprisedly at Kagura, who stood upright as she looked at him and Erza.

"You know him as well as I do," Kagura whispered to Erza.

"What?" Erza asked.

"Jellal murdered Simon. He murdered my big brother," Kagura said. Erza's eyes widened. This was news to her. Millianna looked away angrily, while Strider looked on slightly confused. He recalled hearing the name before, but couldn't place it entirely.

"You're… Simon's younger sister?" Erza asked weakly.

"I am. I also know how close you were with him," Kagura said.

"He saved me," Erza said, feeling tears beginning to form in her eyes. "But you're wrong."

"What?" Kagura asked, surprised.

"Simon didn't die because of Jellal. He died because of me," Erza said flatly.

Strider looked on in surprised as Kagura suddenly began to draw her sword from its scabbard. Not knowing what to expect, he was shocked when as sudden flash of white light blinded him. He heard a clang, an explosion, and a rumble that shook the platform. As it died down, he was shocked at the damage; the drawing of the blade had cut a sizable portion of the platform behind Erza. She, however, stood strong; her sword was locked with Kagura's, who had a wild look on her face.

"I'm alive because of Simon," Erza said softly. "I'm alive today because him and Grandpa Rob. And that's why I can't let you end me like that."

"I'll kill you and Jellal," Kagura snarled, locking into furious battle with her again.

Strider and Millianna looked on worriedly at the ferocity her attacks. Erza, however kept up.

"Simon's little sister…" Erza said softly.

"What?" Kagura asked, surprised.

"Rosemary Village," Erza said.

"How do you know that place?" Kagura demanded.

"I'm from there too," Erza said with a soft smile. "So was Simon. I remember the attack by the Cult of Zeref. How they killed all the adults in the village and began to take the children. I… I remember running with a little girl."

As a look of realization dawned on Kagura, she felt her eyes began to water. It was a vivid memory for her; someone a bit older than her took her hand and ran her through the village. She wasn't able to get a good look at them, beyond their scarlet hair.

"I… I hid her in a wicker basket from the cult. Before I could find a place to hide though, the Cult had grabbed me. I never learned what happened to her. Until now," Erza said. She stopped fighting, letting the blade drop. Kagura barely stopped herself form accidentally cleaving through Erza.

"Kagura…" Millianna began in worry as he blade dropped. Tears were streaming down Kagura's eyes as a look of realization dawned on her: Erza was her savior.

"Simon talked about his little sister at the Tower," Erza reminisced, her lips trembling. "I remembered her too, but didn't know her name. I had hoped she made it out alive… and she had. I'm so thankful."

"So… Erza and Kagura… were friends or something?" Millianna asked in shock. While she knew that Kagura was Simon's little sister, she didn't know that Erza had saved her prior. Strider, meanwhile, watched the scene unfold impassively.

Suddenly, Erza pulled Kagura in for a hug. The ebony haired swordswoman was surprised, her face tear-stained, but she slowly returned the hug. It was a tender moment despite the catastrophe around them.

"I'm so happy you're safe," Erza said as tears began to fall from her eyes as well. With a sigh, Strider quietly took his leave.

-o-

Strider flew close to Olga and Laxus, observing their form.

Laxus seemed to be winning, but Olga was no slouch. Both were locked in a test of wills to see whose lightning was strongest. Suddenly, Laxus kicked it into overdrive. With a sudden burst of great force, he lurched forward and his lightning followed as it tore through Olga's black lightning. Both finally relented as Laxus came out of the explosion and with a hard right, finally managing to knock Olga out. Olga was seeing stars as Laxus got back up to his feet, breathing heavily. He heard clapping from above him and saw Strider, smiling at the turn of events. He gave him a thumbs up before sitting down to find his bearings.

-o-

He took to the air, back to Lyon and Gray who, at this point were both out of magic and were slugging it out.

"For Juvia!" Lyon yelled as he punched Gray.

"WHAT?" Gray said as he punched back.

"My beloved!" Lyon said with another hit.

"Pretty sure she's into him," Gray pointed at Strider.

"A minor roadblock on the highway of our love," Lyon said as he hit Gray again.

Strider chuckled at the love triangle plus the unwittingly involved Gray that was playing out before him.

'Warren, what's Juvia's reaction to all this?' Strider asked, laughing.

'Oh man, you gotta see her face. I can't tell if she's loving this or is completely terrified,' Warren said as he laughed back.

Finally, Gray got the last punch in. With a mighty ice covered right, he knocked Lyon out cold. Lyon fell crying out "Juviaaaaa" before his eyes began to swirl and he teleported back to Lamia Scale.

-o-

Ooba began to spin herself as all her fighters were knocked out; the crowd simply cheered for Gray.

-o-

"He's out!" Gray exclaimed with a grin.

"Excellent. Laxus has taken care of Olga as well. Just Millianna and Kagura left, but I think we should let Erza handle then," Strider said.

"Right. Any word on the others, though?" Gray asked.

"No. It's starting to worry me. As soon as the event ends, we need to find out what's going on, even if that means interrogating the king," Strider said.

"Not sure the king would appreciate that," Laxus said as he came up behind him.

"Fortunately, we don't need his appreciation, only his cooperation," Strider said.

-o-

"So what now?" Millianna asked as she joined her friends.

"I'm not sure," Erza sighed. "However, I don't wish to finish this fight. At least not right now, right here."

"Kagura?" Millianna asked softly. Kagura looked at her and Erza before sighing. Taking a look at the scoreboard, there wasn't any way for them to catch up.

"I forfeit this event," Kagura said flatly.

-o-

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, KAGURA HAS JUST FORFEITED THIS MATCH! MILLIANNA IS—"

-o-

"I forfeit as well," Millianna sighed. She put Kagura's arm around her and held her up.

-o-

"IT'S OVER, FOLKS! THE FINAL DAT'S EVENT IS OVER! FAIRY TAIL HAS WON! AND WITH ALL OF THEIR TEAM STILL IN PLAY! I DON'T BELIEVE IT - IT'S A TOTAL BLOW OUT!" Chapati yelled. Like thunder, the crowd boomed in excitement. Fairy Tail cheered their loudest yet, firing off their Magic into the sky.

-o-

Day had turned into night. The team had gathered near a fountain, reveling in their victory. Unharmed for the most part, Strider helped tend to them as best he could.

"For a guy who fought in a war, your medicinal skills could use some work," Gray mumbled.

"I could paralyze you. That way, you wouldn't feel any pain," Strider offered menacingly.

"Ah… I mean thanks, buddy," Gray said.

"Not at all, buddy," Strider said, clapping Gray hard on the back. The Ice Wizard groaned in pain while his teammates laughed.

"You all were really something out there. I'm beyond impressed," Strider said, massaging Erza's shoulders. She bit her lip pleasurably at the touch, hoping to pick it up after they found Mira, Natsu, Lucy, Wendy, and the Exceeds.

"Back on top," Laxus said.

"Did any of you see the signal flare?" Erza asked.

"I've been keeping an eye out for it. What about telepathy?" Laxus asked. Strider shook his head.

"No doubt we'll find out soon enough," Strider said, as the five were teleported back to the Fairy Tail camp.

-o-

"Fairy Tail is super cool," Frosche said as he did an adorable dance.

"Yeah, they are," Rogue agreed, smiling. Despite how it turned out, he was happy for their victory.

"Heh. They definitely deserved it," Sting said, smiling as he ruffled the fur on Lector's head, who agreed. While Rufus and Olga tended to their wounded pride, Minerva was grating her teeth.

'Strider,' she thought angrily.

-o-

"What an amazing match, folks! This is certainly one for the history books, eh Mato?" Chapati asked. He turned and saw Mato was no longer there.

-o-

"Wizards of Fiore, I ask you all to please assemble it the Crocus Gardens! His Majesty, Toma E. Fiore wishes to address you all!" a voice suddenly called out.

Slowly, the members of every Wizards Guild in present in Crocus began to make their way to the gathering point, curious as to the nature of the request.

-o-

Meanwhile, within the castle, Mercurious, the rescue team had managed to find Lucy and Yukino, and, with some complications along the way, were able to make their way to their current location.

"YOU!" Natsu roared at an unknown man standing in front of him. A new addition to their team was on the ground and bleeding, dead.

"IT'S FOR THE GOOD OF THE WORLD," the man yelled back.

"You guys go! I'll take care of him," Natsu yelled as he attacked the man.

"We need to get help and let the others know what's happening," Wendy said as she ran off with the Exceeds and Lucy.

-o-

"If what he said is true," Mira said worriedly.

"Dragons… 10,000 dragons," Wendy shivered.

"I have a hard time believing him," Carla said defiantly. "What he's told us makes no sense! Acnologia is dead, after all!"

"That's right! How's he gonna control him?!" Happy asked.

"He might be from a different future where Acnologia survived. Time travel is complex, but we know it's not impossible. Remember Edolas?" Mira asked.

"But that was a different dimension!" Lily exclaimed.

"It's not that different, I think. All I know is we need to stop whatever they have planned," Mira said.

"Something doesn't feel right, though," Wendy frowned.

"The dragon thing?" Mira asked.

"No. It's… it's something else," Wendy said, shivering.

"Let's hurry a bit faster, Wendy," Mira said, kicking herself into overdrive.

-o-

The guilds were murmuring to each other, wondering why the king had called them here.

"A party maybe?" Hibiki suggested.

"Doubt. Why'd we be outside, then?" Eve asked.

"Where's Jenny?" Ren wondered, looking around.

"Over there," Eve sighed. Jenny had her arms wrapped around Strider and was snuggling close, much to the chagrin of Erza, Bisca, Juvia, and Cana. Soon, a booming voice quieted them.

"Thank you all for assembling. I have called you all here because the kingdom faces a grave threat. We have learned that 10,000 dragons are descending upon us. Wizards! I require your assistance!" the king said gravely.

No one spoke a word as jaws dropped.

Strider felt his heart drop. At his side, Anglachel was rattling excitedly. The sword could sense that bloodshed was near. Its thirst would soon be quenched.