Fairy Thunder
To say that the damage done to Crocus was fixed in one night would have been a blatant lie. To say that it was already mostly fixed thanks to a whole bunch of magic.....well that would have been the blatant truth....after all, in a world of magic, what could you expect?
It had been decided the next day that though most of the stadium had been repaired, due to the intense excitement that had taken place, and that people were still picking dragon skeletons out of the street, it was decided that the final deciding event would be an extremely simple one. It would be a measurement of magic power.
A lacrima used to measure magical power would be placed in the center of Domus Flau. Each of the seven remaining guilds (Fright Face was still gone....all except for Nicole Mavros) would send one final team member to throw their most powerful spell hurling at the lacrima. The lacrima would then measure the amount of magic power. The one who got the highest would obviously get the most points.
All the other guilds had already sent their picks for the final event.....All except Fairy Tail, who were trying to convince Mikoto to go down there herself.
"But Wendy hasn't had a turn yet." said Mikoto. "It just wouldn't feel right!"
"I don't mind!" said Wendy. "I'm not really much in the magic power department anyways.....I'm more of a supporter then an attacker...."
"Come on Mikoto!" said Natsu cheerfully. "Gray's got a broken leg, Erza's still recovering from that fight with Noiress, and Wendy says she doesn't mind!"1
"What about you? And I'm pretty injured myself." Mikoto spread her arms out to show the multitude of bandages that covered her arms and shoulders.
Natsu just grinned. "Hey, I already had my spot in the light during the games last year....I think this year is your turn."
"I agree with Natsu." said Erza nodding and smiling. "You should be the one to close the games......"
Mikoto sighed and smiled herself. "I guess there's no convincing you guys....alright....I'll do it."
As Mikoto walked down to the center of the stadium through the stone hallway, a voice called out to her. "Not a bad turnout huh?"
Mikoto turned around to see a cheerful looking Mavis standing right behind her.
"Everybody is so eager to see the end result of the games...." said Mavis. "I guess it's because of all that's happened yesterday."
"Yeah...." said Mikoto.
"Hmmm? You don't seem too thrilled."
"The thing is...." said Mikoto. "I'm not sure I can win....sure my magic is strong.....but part of it is powered up by my esper abilities.....and...."
"You shouldn't doubt yourself." said Mavis. "Not as long as you have so many friends who believe in you."
"But....what if I lose?"
"Well there's no doubt that winning is great." said Mavis cheerfully. "But friendships aren't defined by whether one wins or loses...That one time last year Fairy Tail was Fiore's bottom guild, our friendships still held strong....."
"That does make me feel better." said Mikoto with a grin. "But I still wanna win."
Mavis's eyes sparkled. "Me too! Which is why before you go, I want to give you a little something.....it's a little spell me and your mother came up with together."1
Mavis whispered into Mikoto's ear. Mikoto's eyes widened as she took in the extroardinary knowledge that was being passed to her.
A little later, Mikoto waited as each of the mages from the other guilds took their turn with the lacrima. Finally after Jura had gone, Mikoto walked up to the lacrima as the crowd in the stands screamed excitedly.
"And here she is!!!" said the announcer shouted excitedly. "Mikoto Misaka, the Dragon Slayer from Fairy Tail who has exceeded all our expectations!!! What do you think Yajima!? Cross Arcana and Lamia Scale are currently leading ahead this event thanks to the powerful moves made by Jura and Kanzaki."
"Hmm...." said Yajima scratching his chin. "I must say.....Fairy Tail never fails to surprise me....but whether they win or lose, I will always support them....pardon my biased nature. Though after the last time we held this event, and the lacrima was actually broken by Fairy Tail....I must say, I have high hopes."
"Well it's a good thing we used an extra durable Lacrima this time!" said the Announcer. "This is one of the latest in development, able to withstand over 3,000,000 of magic power!"
Mikoto walked up the lacrima and took a deep calming breath. She then clasped her hands together and closed her eyes.
"Hmm?" said Gray. "What's she doing down there? I've never seen her do a stance like that..."
"Maybe it's a new one..." said Erza watching curiously.
Mikoto then opened her eyes and a massive aura of magic power glowed as her electric wings burst outwards. Mikoto then began to chant.
"The light which guides the energy of the sky....It trembles with the power of the Fairy King.....let it rain down with glittering light and show it's true strength!!"
Mikoto thrust her hands out at the lacrima. "Rain down and declare your light.......FAIRY THUNDER!!!!!!!!!"
The sky suddenly erupted with tremendous power as all the clouds twisted and swirled around a glowing orb of power. A ginormous silver and gold magic circle appeared with the Fairy Tail emblem at it's center. Immediately, a massive ginormous bolt of lightning larger then even Jura's Rumbling Mt. Fuji tore down from the sky and smashed into the stadium with an earth shattering boom that split everyone's ears. The stadium shone with amazing light. When the dust settled...the lacrima was a pile of dust which then disintegrated into more ashes. The final number that hung above the Lacrima before it had been destroyed read: 9,999,999
There was a massive pause.....everybody in the stadium just stared at the pile of ashes that had been the lacrima, their jaws all open with shock.
Natsu was the first to make a sound. "HAHAHAHAHA!!! Now that's what I call magic!!!"
Following Natsu's outburst, the entire stadium erupted in cheers. But nobody cheered harder then Fairy Tail....the entire guild jumped out of their seats and leapt down into the stadium. They gathered around Mikoto and raised her into the air, some of them with tears in their eyes.
"THAT'S MY SISSY!!!!" shouted Kuroko jumping up and down like a maniac. 'THAT'S MY SISSY!!!!!!"
Elli flew straight around Mikoto's head like a crazy happy missle, shouting out for joy. And Elfman pumped his fists into the air shouting, "Mikoto Misaka.....is A MAN!!!!!!!!"8
Touma pushed through the crowd and grinned at the startled Mikoto, who was still amazed at what had happened the past few minutes.
"Always knew you'd blow them away Biribiri!" said Touma.
The Announcer tried to say something...but he could only stutter as Jason continued to shout, "COOOOOLLLL COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Wh-what just happened!?" said Mikoto. "Wh-wha!?"
"I'll tell you what happened!!" said Natsu laughing. "The Grand Magic Games just got a huge dose of Railgun!!"
Fiore King's Palace....
It was possibly the happiest day of Mikoto's life. Never before had she been to such a festive after festival party. Every one of the participating guilds had been invited. And even Touma, Index, and Kuroko, who weren't even members of Fairy Tail, had been allowed to come.
Everyone was dressed up either in fancy suits or dresses. (Mikoto had to admire how many dresses Erza could requip into....sometimes she wondered if Erza still remembered how to get dressed the old fashioned way.)
Even Mikoto had on a pleasent white dress with a black bow tied near the back of her waist. Elli was also dressed up in a neat little emerald green gown that matched her eyes perfectly. As the rest of the partygoers socialized (and drank alchohol....Mikoto ignored this because she knew Cana would be somewhere drinking the entire stock.), Mikoto and Elli looked at the table piled high with food...trying to decide whether she wanted to eat the strawberry cake or the apple pie.1
"Wow! You look great!"
Mikoto turned around to find Touma standing there wearing a neat suit. Next to him stood Index wearing a neat light blue dress.....who immediately sped over to the table and started devouring everything in sight.
Mikoto grinned. "You don't look too bad yourself...how did you afford the awesome threads?"
"For once in my life....I think I got lucky." said Touma. "I just so happened to walk by a store that was having an opening day sale...over 70% off."1
"That is lucky!" said Elli cheerfuly. "Well.....I think I'm going to see what Happy, Charle, and Lilly are doing!"
"Eh!?" said Mikoto with surprise. "I thought you and I would hang a little more."
"Actually." said Elli winking at Mikoto. "I think I'll give you two a little time on your own for now...hey Index! Do you wanna see where they have lots of food!?"
Index perked up, her mouth full of pie. "YYYEEESSSHHHH!!!!"
Index and Elli walked over to the other end of the palace, leaving Mikoto and Touma alone by the food table.
"What was that all about?" said Touma scratching his head.
"....." Mikoto began to blush. She saw where Elli was going with this all too well. But after going on an unintentional rampage and surviving a fight with demon/creature/ whatever Diablo was.....maybe it was time to treat the time she had in life a little more preciously.
"Ummm...Touma?"
"Hmmm? Yeah Biribiri?"
Mikoto took a deep breath. "Y-you know when we get back to Academy City....there's that movie that's coming out....."
"Oh, yeah." said Touma. "That one about the samurai who goes out to make a name for himself...looks good, are you going to see it?"
"Erm.....that's just the thing..." said Mikoto. "I kinda wanna.....see it WITH you...."
"With me?" said Touma. That's when a little light went off near the 'understanding girls' part of his brain that was covered in much dust and cobwebs....5
"You mean like a date?"
"You don't have to if you don't want to." said MIkoto as she could feel her face growing redder.
What!? Of course I want to go with you!"
Mikoto's eyes lit up, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Y-you mean it?!"
Touma grinned. But before he could say anything, a large commotion nearby grabbed both his and Mikoto's attention.
It seemed that Gray was currently being fought over by his two biggest fans.
"Juvia thinks that Gray should go with her to watch the stars tonight!!" Exclaimed Juvia pulling on Gray's left arm.
"Please Gray, would you come with me to watch that play down the street before you go?!!" pleaded Nelliel as she pulled on Gray's right arm.
"NO!" Juvia exclaimed pulling harder on Gray. "My darling Gray would definitely prefer to go with me!!"
"W-well...I think it's better he comes with me!" said Nelliel pulling harder on Gray as well.
"Wh-what's going on!!?" said Gray as the girls played tug of war with his body.
"Juvia and Gray will have two children!!" said Juvia with a prideful smile. "What do you say to that!?"1
"Oh! W-w-well, Me and Gray will have three children!" Nelliel shouted back, her cheeks turning steamy red.
"Well Juvia will have 5 children!!"
"I'll have 22!"
"Juvia will have 93!!"
Gray broke away from the two girls yelling. ""GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!!"
Juvia and Nelliel chased after Gray. "GRAY!!! COME BACK!!!!"6
Mikoto and Touma just stared for a minute, before they both burst out laughing. Mikoto couldn't help herself. It was one thing when Juvia was going after Gray....but when two girls went after him like this.....it was too much.
Near a darker corner of the party, Markarov sat drinking from his glass near the wine table next to Gajeel.
"Is this true?" asked Markarov. "Gensei escaped?"
Gajeel nodded. "We were fighting AIM Burst when suddenly that creature started going out of control....I think that when Mikoto left level 6, some sort of connection that was holding that thing together sort of snapped. Gensei cursed or something, then he used that Multi-skill thing to teleport him and that creature out of there....."
"So AIM Burst and Gensei Kihara are still out there...." said Markarov. "He's probably returned to Academy City......I'll try and get in touch with Laxus....perhaps he can look into that while he finishes his mission...."
"Not that I like to butt into people's bussinesses or anything." said Gajeel. "But what is Laxus doing in Academy City.....he hasn't shone up for more then 5 days..."
"Let's just say he's trying to keep an old evil from resurfacing...." said Markarov. "And in the meantime....."
Markarov grinned, put down his wine glass and picked up the entire bottle. "A toast to a second win in a row!!"
Gajeel grinned as well. "Here here."
9:00 pm. After the party, in the palace garden.
Mikoto strolled through garden alone.....thinking to herself. It had been such an eventful day that she had no doubt she would probably sleep the entire train ride back.
Mikoto stretched her arms out. "You know....I think I might just be tired enough to sleep for a year."
"Careful, a tired mind, can also be a vulnerable one." Nicole Mavros was sitting on a bench nearby. She wore an elegant black dress with a purple flower pattern going down the left side.
"Hey Nicole." said Mikoto. "I didn't see you in there...have you been out here the whole time?"
"No.." said Nicole. "Me and Maverick spent a little bit of time there.....but Maverick is socializing with your exceed friends right now.....and I do like the freshness of the night air."
Mikoto looked at Nicole with a slightly concerned expression. "I heard that Fright Face ran out and left you here...are you okay with that?"
"It's alright." said Nicole pointing to her arm where her guild mark used to be. "I quit anyways....wrote them a letter and everything. With the kind of magic they practice and how they treat others....you would have thought they were a dark guild. I especially never liked the Coffin Twins's idea of entertainment...."
"So what are you going to do now?" Asked Mikoto.
Nicole shrugged. "I guess I'll go looking for another guild.......have to support me and Maverick somehow right?"
"I think I know a place." Said Mikoto with a smile. "It's a very fun guild to work in.....plus you'll actually be able to make friends who care about you like one of their own family."
"Really?" said Nicole. "What is this guild?"
Mikoto turned around and pointed at the guild mark on her right shoulder blade. "I think you know..."
Nicole paused for a moment. "............do you really think they would let me join?"
"Why wouldn't they?" said Mikoto. "They let me join....and I couldn't even use magic back then."
Nicole smiled with a happiness Mikoto had never seen in her before. The once cold dark eyes were now bright and warm. "That sounds........nice."
Suddenly, the bushes rustled and Natsu and Happy burst out of the bushes. "WHOOHOO!!! NEW GUILD MEMBER!!!!"
"NATSU!!!!" Mikoto shouted. "HAVE YOU BEEN EAVESDROPPING!!!?"
Natsu and Happy laughed. "That doesn't matter right now!!! What really matters is.....eh, what the heck!! I don't need to explain anything!! We just gotta introduce Nicole to everyone else!!! COME ON!!!"
"Aye Sir!!" Shouted Happy enthusiastically.
Natsu took both Mikoto and Nicole by the arm and ran back into the palace whooping with excitement..
As Natsu pulled them along, Mikoto looked at Nicole just long enough to see that she was laughing. Her eyes were full joyful tears...the tears of one who had finally.....after so much searching....found a place she could call home.