Finn smiled. "There's no reason. You're a Fairy Tail mage now. As long as you don't harm the guild, you're one of us."
Finn looked at Jet, Droy, and Levy. "Fairy Tail mages never abandon a comrade in need."
Gajeel's heart jolted. "So this…is what it feels like to have comrades?" He looked down, speechless.
"Hey, Levy," Gajeel called out.
Levy pointed at herself, questioning.
"And Jet and Droy," Gajeel said, turning to them.
The three looked at each other, unsure what Gajeel wanted.
"About that day…it was my fault. I'm sorry…" Gajeel said, then turned to leave before they could respond.
Jet and Droy exchanged surprised glances. They never expected an apology from Gajeel.
Levy stepped forward. "Gajeel, we've let it go," she said, glancing at Jet and Droy.
They nodded.
"We saw how you took those attacks," Jet said.
"Yeah, let's forget about it," Droy agreed.
Gajeel paused, a relieved smile playing on his lips (unseen by others).
He then disappeared.
…
At Laxus's house.
Laxus looked at the three Raijū, a smile playing on his lips.
"Heh heh heh, Raijū, you're finally back." Laxus stood, looking at the Fairy Tail guild outside. "This moment has finally arrived."
"The fairies will start fighting each other. Old man's time is over…"
It was the annual harvest festival. Magnolia's streets were brightly decorated, filled with a festive atmosphere.
"It's so festive," Lucy exclaimed, looking around in amazement.
"Of course, it's the annual festival," Finn said, peeking out from behind a mountain of supplies he was carrying.
"Everyone's excited," Mirajane smiled.
"And so many people!" Juvia added.
"People from nearby cities came for the night parade," Finn explained.
"It's Fairy Tail's kingdom-famous parade," Makarov said proudly.
"Wow, I want to see it!" Lucy said excitedly.
Finn chuckled. "But you're in the parade."
"But I'm still excited!"
"You'll see it tonight," Finn smiled.
They soon returned to the Fairy Tail guild. A huge banner hung at the entrance: 'Fairy Tail's Most Beautiful Girl Contest.'
"Hello everyone, sorry to keep you waiting."
"Beautiful fairies competing! Fairy Tail's Most Beautiful Girl Contest, about to begin!" Marcus announced from the stage, his voice booming across the guild hall.
"Oooooh!!" The crowd roared with excitement, their anticipation palpable.
"You and Natsu wouldn't normally be here," Gray said to Finn and Natsu, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Erza and Mirajane are competing, so I was roped into coming to watch. As for Natsu…" Finn gestured towards Natsu, who was currently engaged in a furious eating contest. "He probably just ate too much."
"Without further ado, let's welcome our first contestant, the exotic beauty with an otherworldly stomach!" Marcus announced dramatically, his voice rising in pitch, pointing towards the figure emerging from backstage.
"Cana Alberona!"
Cana's entrance was met with a thunderous wave of cheers from the audience.
Cana tossed a deck of cards high into the air.
The cards, guided by her magic, began to spin rapidly, forming a swirling vortex that enveloped her entire body.
In an instant, the cards dispersed, revealing Cana in a dazzling bikini.
This unexpected display sent the male members of the audience into a frenzy of cheers and enthusiastic shouts.
"Master, please calm down, calm down…" Finn repeatedly urged Makarov, who was visibly excited to the point of near-hysteria.
"He's not exactly young anymore; we wouldn't want him to suffer a heart attack from all this excitement."
"I'll gladly accept that 500,000Jewels prize money," Cana declared confidently, tossing her hair and sending a flirtatious glance towards the audience.
"A swimsuit? That's a bit underhanded!" Lucy poked her head out from behind the curtain, her voice dripping with playful disapproval.
"I see. So that's the strategy," Erza also peeked out from behind the curtain, nodding thoughtfully as if a sudden realization had dawned upon her.
"Erza's competing too?" Lucy gasped, her eyes wide with surprise.
Erza nodded with unwavering confidence. "The moment I hear the word 'contest,' my competitive spirit just ignites!"
"I think that's Natsu's line," Lucy muttered under her breath, a thoughtful frown creasing her brow. "Suddenly, my rent money feels a lot further away…"
Lucy was currently struggling financially and had been counting on winning the 500,000Jewels prize to cover her rent.
"Our second contestant, a newcomer but with S-class strength…Juvia Lockser!" Marcus announced with his usual boundless energy.
"Hello everyone!" Juvia greeted the audience with a charming wave, before spreading her arms wide.
Her body transformed into a swirling mass of water, which then coalesced into a wave that crashed down, revealing Juvia in a stunning blue bikini.
"Wooo!!" The cheers from the audience escalated to a deafening roar.
"She's using the same tactic!" Lucy exclaimed, her voice laced with a touch of indignation.
"Mmm," Erza murmured in agreement, nodding her head in acknowledgment.
Once Juvia had completed her performance and left the stage, Marcus continued his enthusiastic announcements. "And now, for our next contestant, the guild's most renowned beauty!"
"Her beauty has captivated the entire kingdom! She is…Mirajane Strauss!"
"Oooooh!" The cheers from the audience reached a fever pitch, surpassing even the previous rounds of enthusiastic applause.
"Finn, please calm down…" Makarov sighed, his eyes watching Finn, who was now standing precariously on a table, shouting with unrestrained excitement. "Honestly, you were just telling me to calm down a moment ago!"
Mirajane greeted the audience with a warm smile. "Since I'm skilled in transformation magic, my performance will be a transformation."
"Go, champion!" the crowd chanted.
The audience's excitement reached fever pitch as Mirajane prepared to showcase her transformation magic.
Under the intense scrutiny of the eager audience, Mirajane began her magic.
"Just the head is Happy."
Mirajane's head instantly transformed into Happy's head, causing a collective gasp of surprise from the audience.
The thunderous cheers that had filled the hall just moments before were abruptly silenced, replaced by an awkward hush.
"Just the head is Gajeel." Mirajane underwent another transformation, plunging the atmosphere of the guild hall into an icy silence.
Makarov watched in astonishment as Finn, who had been brimming with unrestrained excitement just moments before, now stood frozen in place, slowly slumping to the floor as if turned to stone.
"The champion contender has self-destructed," Makarov muttered to himself, shaking his head in amusement.
Next, it was Erza's turn to take the stage.
Instantly, Finn, as if resurrected from a deep slumber, sprang back to life, once again standing proudly atop the table, his voice booming with unrestrained enthusiasm.
"I don't think he was making that face just a moment ago…" Makarov whispered conspiratorially to Macao, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"That incredible speed of changing expressions! Truly worthy of the title of 'Finn-sama'! A true man among men!" Elfman declared, his eyes shining with unadulterated admiration.
"You really don't need to admire that kind of thing, you know," Macao sighed, shaking his head in exasperation at Elfman's overly enthusiastic display of admiration.
"Let everyone see my ultimate outfit change!" Erza declared with unparalleled confidence, her eyes closed.
A vibrant pink magic circle flashed, instantly altering Erza's makeup and overall appearance.
"It's…Gothic Lolita!!!" The crowd's cheers threatened to tear the roof off the guild hall.
Lucy, watching from backstage, thought to herself that there was simply no way she could possibly win against Erza in this contest.
The subsequent appearances of Levy and Bisca also added to the excitement and cheers of the contest.
Just as Lucy, the final contestant, was about to grace the stage, an unexpected and unwelcome guest made their entrance.
"My performance will be a cheerleading routine with my Celestial Spirits," Lucy announced, pulling out the props she had meticulously prepared for her performance, only to be interrupted by a voice that echoed through the guild hall.
"Our eighth contestant. The fairy, the beauty…is me." A woman, clad in a flowing green dress and concealing her face behind a delicately opened fan, gracefully entered the guild hall.
"That's right! I represent everything! The winner is, of course…me…Evergreen!" With a flourish, she removed the fan, revealing a face that was instantly recognizable to everyone present.
From his position in the audience, Finn felt a sudden wave of unease wash over him. "Lucy, don't look into her eyes!" he shouted urgently, his voice cutting through the excited chatter.
But it was too late. Evergreen had already removed her glasses, revealing her black eyes, which now glowed with an ominous golden light.
Lucy was instantly frozen in place, her body completely petrified.
Realizing the grave danger, Marcus frantically addressed the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, there's a serious threat! Everyone, please evacuate immediately!"
The citizens panicked, fleeing the scene in a wave of chaotic escape. Only the guild members remained.
"Do you know what you're doing, Evergreen? Are you trying to ruin the festival?!" Makarov stepped forward, his voice filled with both anger and concern, confronting Evergreen directly.
"Oh, don't all festivals have special encore performances?" Evergreen responded with a chilling laugh, her eyes gleaming with an unsettling light. As she spoke, the curtain behind her rose slowly, revealing a horrifying sight.
Behind the curtain stood all the contestants who had previously graced the stage, now transformed into lifeless stone statues. Each of their faces bore the same expression of shock and disbelief, as if they couldn't comprehend how a fellow guild member could turn on them so ruthlessly.
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