Landfall[]
Everyone got down from the train, coming down to the Carex train station. It was rather full, with people from presumably the whole country coming to see the return of the Grand Magic Games. Amon teleported straight outside, holding Kiva's wheelchair, as everyone else got down with their luggage. "You know, I could've probably teleported us half way across the road to here." Amon said to everyone.
"Nah." Lamia hand waved Amon's suggestion off, carrying her luggage, two large suitcases, and one bag, on her barrier, floating behind her, and an enclosed space. "No need to tire yourself over this. The train ride was nice. Right, fellas?" Lamia said, turning to Amon's student as they got off the train, each with their own luggage.
"It was fun seeing the view." Hemera said, pulling her suitcase with its wheels on the ground.
"Atleast it didn't get me motion sickness..." Sol noted, remember a certain type of people were always vulnerable to motion sickness.
"Sora's sick." Adrasteia said, carrying the young boy on her shoulders, with her luggage on her other shoulder, showing rather unnatural strength for a girl her size.
"Are you okay, Sora?! Talk to me!" Lisa lightly hit Sora on his cheeks to wake him up, but he seems like he was about to vomit, his cheeks puffing and green.
"Oh, dear." Maya seemed rather amused by this sight "I knew Sora had illogical fears, but I never thought a train would be one.".
"I think it's more of a case of being surrounded by alot of strangers." Elizabeth corrected Maya, using shadowy arms to carry her own luggage "It's kinda reasonable when you consider how meek he is.".
"Wait, holy shit, that's a dude?" Lamia peeked closer at Sora's face "Wow, he must've had a girly as hell daddy.".
"That's...not how it works, I think." Amon said in response to Lamia "Lucadra, is your illusion still up?" Amon asked Lucadra, who said she would help Amon with an illusion of sorts.
"Nope~" Lucadra said, floating on her belly infront of Amon "They don't know who any of you guys are. So you're safe." Lucadra said, smirking.
"Oh..." Amon said, somewhat relieved "So I just gotta hope they don't recognize me with the bandages on.".
"I'll make illusions for ya when you guys have to get on stage." Lucadra reassured Amon.
"Woo! We're here!" A familiar voice called, sounding rather enthusiastic. Amon turned to see the source of the void, seeing Lucy, with Gajeel, Levy and Mira, carrying their own luggage.
"I'm gonna puke..." Gajeel said, covering his mouth, as Levy patted him on the back to try and comfort him.
"Lucy?" Amon turned, taking Kiva with him "You're here?".
"Hm? Oh, Amon!" Lucy noticed Amon walking over to him "You guys are here to watch the Grand Magic Games?".
"Well, more of compete. Really." Amon replied to Lucy.
"Isn't that dangerous?" Mira asked "Considering you're wanted, you'd be arrested.".
"Not neccesarily." Levy corrected Mira "The rules have changed to even allow Dark Guilds and criminals to join.".
"I didn't see you guys at home. We left a letter saying we'll be gone for a while. Well, some of us." Amon said, remembering they left almost everyone else at home, which concerned him.
"Oh, hello." Lucy noticed Kiva "I haven't met you before. Are you Amon's friend?" Lucy crouched down to Kiva's level, so they can be face to face.
"You can...say that, yes." Kiva replied to Lucy, staring down at the blonde woman's chest "How is she walking...?".
"Why didn't you ever mention her, Amon?" Lucy asked Amon.
"Oh, I did. This is Kiva. Remember?".
"...Ah, now I remember!" Lucy said, clapping her hands, smiling widely to Kiva "It's nice to meet you at last, Kiva! Amon talks alot about you.".
"Oh, does he now?" Kiva seemed rather interested on that topic "What does he say?".
"Not much to say. Just nice things, really. He always mumbles on how to make schedule to visit you." Lucy replied to Kiva.
"Anywho, we need to get going to our hotel. It's been a four hour train ride, and everyone's tired. And sick." Amon said, looking back to see everyone were just chatting at their spot.
"Yeah, we should get going too. Gajeel is especially sick." Lucy said, carrying her luggage "Well, it was nice meeting you, Kiva. Have fun! Hope to see you in the games.".
Amon teleported back over to everyone else "Alright, where to?" Amon asked.
Lamia looked over a map of Carex that she bought off the pawn shop "Let's see...I should find us a hotel rather nearby. It'd take some walking though."
"Do you think we're cows? A bit of walking won't hurt." Juvia said, rather harshily "Then again, I do want to go sightseeing while I have the chance.".
"Ah, we'll go later." Nana said, wrapping her shoulder around Juvia's, keeping her close in a friendly hug "I haven't been in Carex myself. Since it's the capital, I might find something nice to bring back for Ricky.".
"When have we become friendly aquaintances...?" Juvia was quite preplexed by Nana's treatment towards her "...I miss the kids already. I'll go back home on the next train. This is dull.".
"Hey, hey, hey! We just got here!" Amon noted "Don't just run off already.".
"I'm not used to this much touching.".
"Nana, let go off her." Amon told Nana, and she did as told "Better?".
"...I can still feel her breasts pressing against me.".
"...Let's just go.".
"Over there!" Lamia said, gesturing everyone to follow her.
As they walked through the capital of Fiore, they noticed alot of small markets opening near a large coliseum, with gigantic statues, each holding a staff in one hand, and a sphere on the other. It seemed like they were going all out for the return of this beloved tournament. In addition to many people on the streets, some looking like the cliche tourists going sightseeing. It was like they were preparing for a large scale festivial all over the city, with the castle Mercurius II being seen from virtually any spot of the city, due to its great size.
Eventually, everyone arrived at a hotel, the only one without a line stretching to the outside. More than likely because it wasn't a super expensive, 5-star hotel like the others. Everyone walked in, seeing Lucy, Levy, Mira and Gajeel already with a key to their room.
"Oh, everyone, you're staying at this hotel too?" Mira asked them as they approached her.
"Well, it's either wait a month for the actual line to end, or get a room now." Amon said, surprisingly telling a competent joke.
"Well, this just became fun! And here I thought we'd all be home sick." Mira said, resting her hand against her cheek "Well, we can spend some time together while we're here. This is sort of a vacation, no?".
"'cept I ain't payin' for no room service." Lamia said "Unless they have lobster. Then I'mma all that lobster. Because fu-...!".
"Kids!" Amon noted, causing Lamia to stop her swearing.
"I need to watch out for this stuff." Lamia said, scratching the back of her head "Ah well, I'll go get us a room. Or two. We're like more than ten 'ere.".
"So, you're Kiva?" Mira said, crouching down to Kiva's level "So you're that girl Amon kept visiting in the hospital! Nice to finally meet you!" Mira extended her hand to Kiva, though the only thing Kiva could focus on was Mira's breasts jiggling infront of her.
"Even my mom had less back issues than you, woman!" Kiva wasn't used to the outside world's surprises and gifts. "N-...Nice to meet you." Kiva extended her left arm to Mira, shaking it.
"Hey, let me talk to her too." Levy said, crouching to Kiva's level as well "Pleasure." Levy extended her arm to Kiva.
Kiva looked down at Levy's breasts, seeing they were just as flat as hers, something that brought happiness to the sickly girl "Someone I can relate to...!" Kiva enthusiastically shook Levy's hand, for quite a while infact "Nice to meet you, flat board!".
"F-...Flat...?" Levy was taken a back by Kiva's supposed "nickname".
"Maybe I should've introduced her to the others before..." Amon thought to himself.
Lamia returned, with two key cards for their perspective rooms. "A'right, I got us two rooms. They can hold up to eight people. So, this'll how this thing goes, ya'll. Me, Amon, water tits, trigger fingers, gramps and Kiva will be in a room, you kids stay in a room ya self, sound good?" Lamia said to everyone.
"Sounds about fair." Amon said, looking at his students "You won't do anything bad while alone. Some of you have private apartments already, no?".
"That we do." Maya replied "Besides, we love each other! Right?".
"I'm with you just because we're childhood friends." Sol bluntly replied.
"I never speak to you, but I know you're a capital B." Hemera replied, going back to reading her book.
"I tolerate you." Adrasteia said, while the still green-faced Sora tried keeping his dinner inside.
"I...I don't like hating people!" Lisa meekly denied any form of hatred towards Maya.
"I just hate everyone." However, Elizabeth was more than blunt about her feelings.
"...Well then." Maya crossed her arms in irritation at everyone's answers.
"D-...Don't try to kill each other, please..." Amon tried calming everyone down, feeling this could be a problem in the future "You know I love you guys, it'd be bad if you started fighting.".
"I'm not going to do anything to her though..." Sol said "As my father taught me, I mustn't fight my companions! No matter how irritating they may be...".
"I just don't care." Hemera replied as well, reading her book.
"Fighting amongst ourselves is not what my mother taught me to do! I must unite with all available allies and stop cataclysm!" Adrasteia said, shaking her fist at the hotel's roof as if it were the heavens.
Lisa simply stayed quiet, twiddling her thumbs.
"I will kill you all." Elizabeth said, though no one took her words seriously, because of her deadpan expression.
"...So, what's your room number?" Mira asked Lamia "Ours is 209.".
"I got uhh...oh, 210 and 211. I guess they give 'em out in order." Lamia said "We'll be neighboors. Ain't that nice?".
"Oh, that's great!" Mira seemed happy, smiling "It would be more eventful with more people around~ Especially Amon's friends that I haven't met yet.".
"Oh, I have. Kinda. They're good kids." Lamia said, looking over to see Amon still talking with his students, with Kiva still with him "Though the sick one is actually a dude.".
"Hmm? Why is that a major thing?".
"Ohohoho, trust me, you haven't seen his face yet." Lamia said, much to Mira's confusion.
"...I should see if there are any games I can kill time with here..." Kiryu said, breaking his record of being silent and almost unnoticed by everyone, scratching his chin while in deep thought.
"Oh, would you like to play some chess at times?" Levy suggested to Kiryu.
"Oh? Chess, you say?".
"I have a board with me. I just don't have anyone to play with." Levy said, glancing over to Gajeel, who was still recovering from his nausea "Well, I do, they just...don't last long.".
"That sounds lovely!" Kiryu smiled under his mask "But I warn you, I have a track record of zero losses.".
"I'll break that record then~" Levy said, smiling to Kiryu.
"Gajeel found himself a cheeky lady..." Kiryu thought to himself.
Festival Precaution[]
"Your highness." A soldier reported to the Queen, Hisui, bowing down with one knee down "We've done as you ordered. We have scouts and guards at nearly every possible corner of the city. If any criminal activity happens, we will respond at a moment's notice.".
"Excellent." Hisui replied "What of the request we sent the Magic Council? About the new soldiers?".
"We've recieved a message. They will be here as soon as possible. Before the month ends, they say." The soldier replied to his Queen, keeping a respectful tone and choosing each word carefully.
"That's good. Very well, excused." Hisui said, allowing the soldier to leave, exiting the throne room, leaving her with Sirius. "Things are going as planned..." Hisui got up from her throne, walking over to the window, followed with Sirius by her side. She looked outside the window, seeing the large colliseum "Within just a few weeks...we can hear the cheers of the people.".
"..." Sirius looked over at Hisui, noticing something rather amazing "...Your majesty, are you...smiling?" Sirius said.
"Hmm?" Hisui looked at her reflection on the window, seeing she was indeed smiling "Oh, what do you know? I must be happy...".
"I...have never seen you smile before." Sirius noted "This event must mean alot to you.".
"You can say I just want to...make things right again. Fix what I've broken." Hisui said, her smile turning to a frown again.
"That's a shame..." Sirius crossed his arms, looking out the window "Your smile makes you shine.".
"...You're choice of words is...definetly special." Hisui said, not really getting the compliment.
"Are they...?" Sirius seemed to take Hisui's words a bit too seriously "Is it wrong? Should I have said something else? I do apologize if I had insulted you!".
"Calm down." Hisui said to Sirius "I need you to stay composed for the event. I can't have my bodyguard being concerned over a choice of words.".
"Right, right." Sirius coughed, clearing his throat, recomposing himself "I shall look as intimidating as can be.".
Suddenly, the door openned, as a group of people entered, among them being Hakase, and her bodyguard, Gazelle "Hello, hello, hello, miss Queen!" Hakase greeted Hisui, bowing her head, as her lackeys did the same, lowering their head in unison.
"Rise." Hisui said to the squadron, walking back to her throne "I assume you're Hakase? The renowed scientist of Bellum?".
"That's me." Hakase raised her head back up, adjusting her glasses "I've brought my Arma Squadron as you asked. Well, most. The others are still at the base." Hakase said, gesturing her squadron to step forward.
"General Gazelle, at your service, my Queen." A tall man, with crimson hair, a white mask with red markings covering his eyes stepped forth, he was wearing a black suit, with a red undershirt, complete with black boots and gloves. He held a sheathed sword, with a distinct design, appearing to be heavily mechanical from the inside.
"General Cross, here to serve." Another man stepped forth, wearing an armour on his entire body, with the helmet having a very bug-like design, complete with large eyes, and even the mouthpiece resembled an insect. His armour was red in colour, with white gloves and boots, as well as a white scarf around his neck.
"General Valkyra, at your command." A teenage-looking girl approached, wearing a schoolgirl-like uniform, with a short skirt, a brown shirt. Her hair was short and black, and so were her eyes. She wore a belt around her waist, with a crocket-like hammer sheathed, and a katana strapped onto her back.
"These are my three generals. They are my strongest soldiers." Hakase said, walking infront of her three generals "One of them can fight a Wizard Saint as an equal. They've basically mastered their Armaments.".
"Armaments...that's the name of those weapons, isn't it?" Hisui asked Hakase, sitting back on her throne.
"That's correct. That is how my super soldiers are created. Would you like a demonstration?" Hakase was ready to snap her fingers at a moments notice.
"No." Hisui, however, shot down her offer "I don't need a mess right now. I trust that you and your soldiers will make sure no Dark Guilds or criminals goes out of line.".
"Certaintly!" Hakase reassured Hisui "But, if I may ask, why did you allow criminals to join? Seems like an error to me.".
"Because, if I'm going to have such a grand event, I may as well take advantage of it." Hisui said, sounding rather confident "Any criminals who so much as looks at someone the wrong way will be persecuted without trial and sent to prison until the event ends. If they kill, execution, if they steal, imprisonment. It's simple as that.".
"And if one wins?".
"Prison." Hisui said "All those who lost will be arrested as well. I'm sure you've heard, we've been developing better ways to take care of these villains.".
"Crystal Purgatory?" Hakase said, smirking.
"Beyond that. But, yes." Hisui said, looking over the squadron, spotting among them a large feline with a sword walking on its hind legs, and a maid with a scythe, among other things. "I will leave your squad at your own command, Hakase. If anything happens, report to me.".
"Certaintly." Hakase said, bowing one more time before exiting the scene, followed by her squadron.
"It seems you prepared well for this, my Queen." Sirius said to Hisui "I knew things would go well if placed at your hands.".
"Fear not, I'm not going to give any leeway. I will not be simple-minded or naive. Nothing will go wrong. I'd bite my tongue clean off before I let anything happen." Hisui said, her determination being rather off-putting. Her deadpan expression certaintly didn't make it any better.
"...Of course." Sirius couldn't do a thing but agree with his Queen, standing by her side as usual, arms crossed.
Play the Game[]
The new month began, the colliseum's audience was crowded, people pushing and shoving to get a seat. Bigger than last time, it had enough room for more than just Carex's population. Even Amon's students had difficulty finding a place where they could all sit together. "Ugh...this is irritating!" Maya said, finally finding a seat "We should've woke up earlier than this!".
"We all waited for you though." Sol said, pointing out it was Maya's fault "You spent so long at the bathroom, hogging it just to fix up your damn hair, and we all had to wait outside!".
"Please, don't fight..." Sora tried claming down the two before they would engage in anther argument.
"It doesn't matter anyway." Hemera pointed out, closing her book "Sensei and his family are somewhere here, from the message they left us, we'll meet them after today's events ends." Hemera said.
"Show me the vigor and girth of the warriors of this era!" Adrasteia shouted at the top of her lungs, standing up, raising her fist up high, though her voice was almost unheard comapred to the heaps of cheering coming from the crowd.
"Clam down, Adra..." Lisa tried getting Adrasteia to sit back down again.
"Heeeey, keep your eyes on me!" Kiva said, being on the stairs, right next to Sol, who was at the very corner of the row of chairs. She held strongly onto the chair Sol sat on, fearing she might start falling down the stairs.
"Ah, sorry." Sol held onto Kiva's wheelchair with his arm "I'll keep a hold of you. Did sensei leave you here?".
"He told me to accompany you, because he'll be late. And I did wanna see the opening..." Kiva answered, still rather paranoid about falling down the stairs.
"Ah, there you are!" Mitra arrived, holding large bags of various sweets and drinks, even wearing a special event T-shirt of the Grand Magic Games, with an image of a multi-coloured haired girl with horns and red eyes, giving a peace sign with a large smile. Mitra sat down in the middle of the students, her snacks taking more room than she is, as she placed the bags down "Anyone want a snack? I got pie and chocolate and...".
"We're fine, thanks." Sol rejected Mitra's offer, who simply shrugged and happily began eating a bagel.
Hisui sat on a chair, at a special location at the colliseum, where only few could enter if they took a different route, or tried jumping towards her. Next to her stood Sirius, while another guest sat next to her, a man in a black suit, sippng on some wine "I must admit! I didn't expect you to be so kind." The man spoke "I only had my company make more merchandise!".
"Please, Mr. Gremory, it's the least I can do. You came all the way here to Fiore from Stella, I must thank you." Hisui said to the man, Krampus Gremory.
"You're simply too kind!" Krampus said, sipping on his wine "I hate this. It's revolting." Krampus said about the wine, still smiling.
"Then why are you still drinking it?" Hisui asked a very valid question.
"To look classy." Krampus gave a thumbs up in response, a shimmer on his bright white teeth, making Hisui feel somewhat disgusted.
At the announcer's seat, stood a young girl with multi-coloured haired, the dominant colour being black, with the addition of white hair strands, and one red hair strand on the front of her bangs, in addition to white horns and bright red eyes with black pupils. She wore a white and blue school uniform, with a short skirt and black sheos, with a microphone "Hello, hello, hello! Everyone!".
"Who is that, my Queen?" Sirius asked Hisui, being unfamiliar with this girl.
"Her name is Astrada. She's the new mascot and marketable face of the Grand Magic Games for this year." Hisui said "We needed someone to replace Mato.".
"Oh, you mean that pumpkin headed creature you have a shrine for in your room?" Sirius asked Hisui, who simply glared at him, without even saying a word in return. "...I'll shut up now.".
"Okay, so...we're going to go out there, and just...uhh...wave?" Amon asked Lamia, standing up while everyone else sat down.
"Oh, calm down, already. We're just gonna walk in there, look awesome, then maybe throw a baseball at someone's face." Lamia replied to Amon, appearing calm as usual.
"She's right, love. What'd we gonna do? Wave? Please, they'll soon throw rocks at us, then cheer." Nana said, wiping her gun with a cloth, making sure its clean.
"Sit down, fool." Juvia was less than helpful however "Did that help?" Even when she tries to.
The gate of their entry openned, signalling them to exit "Well, no use waiting now." Kiryu said, standing up, creating a metallic cane, beginning to walk towards the exit "Let's go, Ira.".
"Right..." Amon followed everyone who were already ahead of him "Are you sure they won't recognize us?".
"D'worry, I'll make illusions, they'll be the only ones who see you in a different vision." Lucadra reassured Amon.
"And the names? Those won't change.".
"Yeah, yer kinda fucked on that bit." Lucadra shrugged, leginimately having no way of helping out on that.
"Dammit!".
"Calm down. The event is beginning. Just do as you should, and win this so we can go home." Gram said to Amon, sounding irritated "Being surrounded by so many people, and hearing so many sounds...gives me a headache.".