Dead Last

"The day has finally come!" Sting lifted his fists to the sky and let out an enormous howl. "The day I crush Fairy Tail and that annoying pink haired fuck has finally come!"

Rogue stretched his calf, bending over and touching his toes. "Why do you harbor all this hostility for a boy you don't even know?"

"Because," Sting muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "I just know that fairy fuck is in love with Lucy. I refuse to hand her over to him."

"Lucy doesn't belong to you."

"She used to! And I'd rather die than see her with such a lowly piece of trash! That guy…" Sting's eyes dropped to the grass below his feet. "That filth… doesn't understand anything. Today I'll pulverize him into dust for even thinking he deserved to exist in Lucy's world."

"Now that sounds interesting…"

Rogue straightened and they both turned towards the new voice. Saber Tooth's very own lady Minerva cocked her hip and smirked at her fellow students.

"It sounds to me like you will do anything to win, Sting."

"That's right!" he said with conviction. "I swear I'll lead Saber Tooth to victory! No matter the cost!"

She chuckled, "Now that's what I like to hear. How about I give you a hand in that?"

"I hate this. I hate it…" Lucy said, putting her head between her knees.

"Me too…" Wendy said beside her, biting her lip. "Why did we get chosen to compete in the sports festival?"

"Don't look so down, you two," Erza said, standing above them in her exercise shorts and white t-shirt with Fairy Tail's insignia printed on the front and back. "We've all worked so hard these past weeks. You deserve to be here just like the rest of us."

"Deserving to be here is one thing," Lucy muttered. "Wanting to be here is another…"

Levy ran up, calling out, "Wendy! The scavenger hunt is starting in five minutes! You should hurry and get ready!" She paused next to Erza and looked down at the two pouting Fairy Tail students. "What's wrong with you?"

"They're moping because they don't want to compete," Erza said with a frown.

"Eh? Really?" Levy leaned her hands on her knees and bent towards them. "I think you should just get over it for now. There's nothing you can do anymore, right? Besides, some of the games sound really fun! I'm a little envious that I didn't get picked. I would've loved to play the matching game!"

Lucy crawled to her knees and grabbed Levy's arms at the bend of the elbow, "DO YOU WANT TO TAKE MY PLACE THEN? WE CAN GO FIND DIRECTOR MAKAROV AND SEE IF WE CAN TAG—"

"No thanks," Levy said with a smile of finality.

Lucy slumped down to the grass.

Levy chuckled, "C'mon, Lu-chan. Why are you so upset? I thought you'd be all fired up by now."

She sighed and sat back on her heels, "It's just… ever since I was a kid I've never been all that good at sports. I… I don't want to disappoint everyone…"

"How could that happen?" Erza smiled and leaned over. She placed her hand gently on Lucy's head. "I'm sorry, Lucy. I feel like we may have scared you. I know we've been making a big deal over this competition and have made it seem like winning is the most important thing but…" her eyes warmed and she stroked her fingers over Lucy's blonde hair. "I'm just glad that I can spend this time with all of my friends. So long as you give it your all and have fun, that will be a million times more satisfying than any victory."

"Erza…" tears filled Lucy's eyes and she crawled on her knees up to the girl. She wrapped her arms tight around her waist and pressed her face into her stomach. "Keep talking like that and you'll make a weak girl like me fall in love!"

"Erza!" Wendy also scrambled up to the redhead and hugged her, bawling. "I'll try my best in the scavenger hunt!"

"Good, good," Erza patted both of their heads, nodding. Only Levy noticed the evil glint that crossed the girl's eyes. The blunette chuckled and didn't warn the two others of Erza's less than innocent intentions.

"Alright!" Lucy and Wendy pulled away and faced each other, Lucy climbing to her feet.

"From now on, we're not going to complain!" Lucy said, lifting a fist.

"Yeah! We're going to do our best and take home the victory for Fairy Tail!" Wendy raised her fist as well and they tapped them.

"Let's go, Wendy!" Lucy took the girl's hand and pulled her across the field. "We gotta get you to the starting line for the scavenger hunt! I'll be cheering you on the whole time!"

Erza and Levy watched the girls run off.

"Well," Erza crossed her arms over her chest and smiled in satisfaction. "Now that I've rallied the two weakest members of our team… victory is just a few steps away…"

"You're evil, you know that?" Levy giggled. "But I like it."

"All is fair in love, war, and inter-high-school sports festivals, my dear Levy," Erza winked and they headed off in the direction Lucy and Wendy had run.

"You're from Fairy Tail?"

Wendy turned towards the gentle voice. A girl that looked to be just slightly older than her with bright pink hair tied up high on her head in pigtails smiled, hands clasped behind her back.

"Yes," Wendy answered shyly. She glanced at the large insignia on the front of the girl's purple shirt. "Lamia Scale?"

"That's right," the girl smiled and extended a hand to her. "My name's Chelia Blendy."

Wendy shook her hand with a smile, "I'm Wendy Marvell."

"Wendy… if you and I got married you'd be Wendy Blendy!" Chelia laughed.

Wendy blushed, "Why would I take your name? You could be Chelia Marvell… wait, why are we getting married?"

Chelia laughed again, "Let's fight fair and square, okay?"

"Yes!"

"Is everyone ready?" the festival's mascot, a short, unknown man in a pumpkin suit, spoke into a megaphone, drawing everyone's attention. He danced in place excitedly, "Now we are starting the scavenger hunt! Each player has been given a list of items to find, all of which we have guaranteed to be here in Crocus Park! Once the player has found one of the items, they must run them back to their buckets labeled with the symbol of their school! The first to collect all ten items wins five points for their team!"

"Go Wendy!" Lucy cheered from the sidelines.

Wendy glanced over at the blonde and smiled, giving a timid wave.

"You look pumped up."

Lucy turned towards the voice. Yukino walked up, wearing a green t-shirt with Saber Tooth's insignia on the front.

"Do I?" Lucy said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"More pumped than this morning, that's for sure."

"I'm terrified out of my wits, but I'm trying to stay positive, I guess."

Yukino smiled, "It'll be okay. What events are you signed up for?"

"The cavalry battle is all I know of right now."

Yukino's smile slowly faded, "The cavalry battle… huh?"

"Yeah," Lucy cocked her head to the side. "What's with that reaction? Something I should know?"

"It's… nothing. Just… I was going to be in the cavalry battle too but then Minerva decided to switch me out last second. Now I'm goldfish catching instead."

Lucy was silent as she looked back towards Wendy. Minerva was a name that Lucy had heard often from Yukino and the others over the years. Why she was relevant to the situation at the moment was beyond her though.

"Well," Yukino cleared her throat. "Just… be careful, I guess. Sting, Rogue, and Rufus will be Minerva's horse so I don't think there will be any trouble…"

Lucy glanced at her, "Is Minerva the type to cause some kind of trouble?"

She seemed reluctant to answer.

The gunshot went off and all of the competitors in the scavenger hunt took off in all different directions across the field.

"I'll be fine," Lucy finally said with a smile. "Natsu, Gray, and Gajeel are my horse. I'm sure they'll keep me safe."

"That's comforting at least…" Yukino said softly.

Wendy ran up to the two girls, panting.

"Lucy!" Wendy grabbed the girl's left wrist. "Please give me your bra!"

"Eh?" Lucy took a step back.

Wendy thrust her list up, "One of my items is an F-cup or bigger bra! Please hand it over! I really want to win this!"

"WHAT PERVERT ORGANIZED THIS SCAVENGER HUNT?" Lucy roared towards the pumpkin mascot, who squeaked and ran off in the opposite direction.

"I'm sorry! I'll return it later!" Wendy shoved her hands inside Lucy's shirt, reaching for the clasp in the back, inadvertently smothering her face in Lucy's breasts.

"EEeeeee!" Lucy tried to prance away but Yukino jumped to Wendy's aid and grabbed her shoulders, holding her in place.

Wendy managed to pop the clasp and then tugged on the straps, but was barred by the sleeves of Lucy's t-shirt.

"Please stop," Lucy sobbed. "You're drawing attention…"

"Sorry Lucy-san, but please bear with it!" Wendy ignored the awed stares from the other bystanders and continued to tug.

"Fine! Let me do it!" Lucy pulled away from the two girls and slipped her arms inside her shirt. They popped back out of the holes and Lucy's face was bright red as she reached under the hem of her shirt and produced the lacy pink bra.

"Thank you!" Wendy snatched the piece of clothing from her hands, trying not to let the size get her down as she turned and sprinted towards the Fairy Tail bucket.

Cheers echoed all around Lucy and she quickly crossed her arms over her chest.

Yukino chuckled nervously, "Uhm… I'll lend you one of my extras…"

"Please do," Lucy sniffed, tears in the corners of her brown eyes.

"That won't be necessary, Princess."

Yukino and Lucy turned towards the sound of the new voice.

"When's Lucy going to do her event?" Taurus asked as he munched on a snowcone.

"Dunno," Scorpio slid a pair of sunglasses onto his face.

"Is it true the girls are going to show up to watch too?" Leo asked, glancing around as they made their way down the food alley of the festival.

"Astraea will definitely be here," Taurus said. "She sounded pretty excited when I called her up this morning. Well, as excited as that robot can sound."

"Gany pretended like she wasn't interested but I'll bet you she'll be watching in secret from the roof of a building or something," Scorpio grinned.

"And Chrys?"

"She's already here," Taurus said. "I saw her and Chiron over by the cotton candy earlier."

"Oh yeah," Scorpio lit a cigarette in his mouth. "That reminds me. I saw the Pisces duo with—"

Leo smacked him on the back of the head, "No code names. Remember what Jude said before leaving? As of last week, we are just a normal family and not suspicious in the least. Got it?"

"Ah, right. Sorry. I meant to say… I saw Aphrodite and her son with Miss Yukino when we first got here. Do you think Themis is also around?"

"Aphrodite is here?" Leo ignored the question, hearts throbbing in his eyes.

"Give it up," Taurus snickered. "She's too old for you."

"Love knows no age," Leo fawned.

"Next thing we know, you're going to be preying on Cas," Scorpio said drily.

"Alright. Love knows some age," Leo said, wiping the drop of drool from the corner of his mouth. "Speaking of which, where are the twins?"

"Pollox left his gun back at the base so Saturn took them back to get it," Taurus explained.

"And Kar?"

"Who knows where that guy is?" Scorpio snorted. "Probably giving out free haircuts in the parking lot. Again."

Leo sighed. "I don't like this. I feel uneasy. Like something bad is going to happen while we are here."

"That's why Jude left us all behind to watch over Miss Lucy," Taurus pointed out.

"That's right," Scorpio shoved his hands into his pockets. "We gotta keep a sharp eye out for anything suspicious."

"And also take pictures for Jude," Taurus added.

"And buy souvenirs too," Leo sighed.

"That idiot should have just come," Scorpio muttered. "There's a chance the dragons will attack regardless of whether or not he is here. So he should've just come and watched his daughter compete like he wanted to."

"If there is a small chance that his absence could save her, there's no way he'd risk it and come," Leo said softly. "He thinks that the dragons will keep their beef between them. I on the other hand… am not so trusting."

"So you really think that they will come for her?" Scorpio asked as they paused next to a food stall and Taurus ordered three steaming turkey legs.

"Without a doubt. Saturn feels the same. That's why he insisted on us all being heavily armed today. Even the twins, who are usually not even used for combat situations."

Taurus turned towards them, holding out two turkey legs. The other men took them with murmured thanks.

"None of us but King actually faced the dragons the first time Jude fought them," Taurus said, taking a massive bite from his snack. "But from the way they were talked about, I'll bet you they're evil enough to target Lucy in order to hurt Jude."

"That's why it's so important for her to be among all these people," Leo added. "The mayor even has police patrolling the area in casual clothes. So don't do anything suspicious to get their attention, got it? We might just be trying to protect our little princess but that doesn't change the fact that the Keys have always been on the wrong side of the law."

"Yessir," Taurus mumbled, grease dripping into his white goatee.

Scorpio stared at him for a few seconds in disgust, "Yep… you're fitting right in."

"Virgo! What are you doing here?" Lucy hugged the pink haired woman with the dull blue eyes that appeared before the two girls.

"Actually, Princess, today I am incognito so I'd appreciate if you called me by my real name."

"Oh," Lucy stepped back. "Sorry. Astraea."

"I see that you are in need of a new undergarment," Virgo continued, eying Lucy's chest.

She quickly crossed her arms over her breasts again, blushing. "I'll get that Wendy later…"

"I've prepared several pairs of clothes for a situation just like this," Virgo continued, voice as deadpan as usual. "Shall we go off and sample them?"

"I don't need a full outfit," Lucy said. "Just a bra will do…"

"Very well, Princess," Virgo gave a soft bow and then turned towards Yukino. "Good morning, Miss Yukino. I trust the Aguria branch has received the news?"

Yukino cleared her throat and avoided Lucy's suspicious stare, "Yes… Aphrodite, Eros, and Themis will all be on the lookout."

"What's this?" Lucy frowned. "What do the Aguria Keys need to be on the lookout for?"

"I would ask you not to worry about it, Princess," Virgo said, turning to her master once more. "Although with enough punishment I might be inclined to loosen my lips."

Lucy blinked at her for long seconds before letting out a sigh, "No. I don't want to know that much. If it's necessary for me to know, I would've been told about it, right?"

"Yes, I believe that is the case."

"So, show me to this new bra then," Lucy said and followed behind as Virgo turned and headed across the field. "Sorry Wendy, I'll cheer you on in spirit." As they walked, Lucy stared at the back of Virgo's head. The two branches of the Keys were definitely joining together because of the Dragons Igneel had told Lucy about. Were they expecting something to happen today? Would they really make an appearance at such a big event? The mayor and several government officials were in attendance, after all. Not to mention undercover cops every direction you looked. Lucy's gaze slipped sideways, noting the man at the water fountain with the slight bulge under the left side of his tan jacket.

Then again, today might be the best time for the Dragons to attack. They could take out a huge chunk of Fiore's most important people. The mayor and his daughter Hisui, Chief of Police Arcadios, Lucy and most of her Keys, as well as Yukino and hers. Who knew how many other officials were mingling with the crowd, watching Fiore's biggest schools compete. Although she hadn't seen him, Lucy figured Byro was also in attendance.

If the Dragons wanted to cause havoc, here and now would be the best place and time to do it.

Lucy was really regretting not packing her gun before leaving the house.

"You've gotta be some kind of idiot," Rogue muttered.

"Don't fucking talk to me," Sting snapped, hands covering his face.

"The game is called Chariot. What did you expect it to be like?"

"I don't know! I wasn't thinking! I just saw Natsu's name on the list and wanted to kick his sorry ass so I got excited and signed up…"

"Well, we've lost this round," Rogue crossed his arms over his chest. They stood at the edge of the track where the festival helpers arranged the bicycles for the competition. "Do you even know how to ride a bike?"

"I learned when I was a kid," Sting said, dropping his hands with a sigh. "Before I had a motion sickness thing."

"God you're useless."

"Like you're one to talk! You get bad motion sickness too!" Sting stomped his feet in proper tantrum form.

"I'm not the one that signed up for a bicycle race!"

Sting pouted his lips out and turned away, "So I made a mistake. Whatever. We can just find someone to switch out with me."

"Everyone is competing in a game this round except me. And I'd be just as useless as you out there so I'm gonna have to pass."

"Fuck this sucks." Sting dragged his eyes over the contestants from the other teams. Other than Natsu, none of the competitors really stood out to him. Well other than Quatro Cerberus' ace, Bacchus. But he was so obviously drunk that Sting wondered if he'd actually be any threat to him at all. He was arm in arm with Fairy Tail's Cana, openly waving around a flask they both took drinks from. They were belting out Queen's Bicycle Race at the top of their lungs, earning looks of disdain from the crowd around them.

Sting glanced towards where Natsu stood. He looked like a waif, pale and dead in the eyes as he stared off into the distance over Lucy's head as she shook his shoulders. Sting's eyes narrowed.

"I'll beat that loser even if it kills me…"

Natsu fell through the finish line, bicycle dropping out from under him as he collapsed onto his face in the grass. Sting crawled in behind him, tearing at the ground with his shaking fingers.

"Oh fuck…" Natsu muttered, pushing to his hands and knees a second before emptying his stomach on the ground, body twitching.

Sting threw up behind him, their retching sounds coming together to form a disgusting melody.

Lucy, Yukino, and Rogue stood a short distance away, looking on with shame.

"That was so sad," Lucy whispered and Yukino nodded.

Rogue sighed and covered his eyes with a hand. "Dead last. Minerva is going to throw a fit over this one…"

"Do you think they'll be okay for the cavalry battle?" Yukino asked softly.

"I'm sure they're fine," Lucy crossed her arms over her chest. "And I feel immensely better about myself too. Whatever happens in the cavalry battle, at least it won't be as disastrous as that."

Yukino and Rogue exchanged a look.

"Well… let's hope," Rogue said under his breath.

Author's Note: Well... a long time to wait for something so... meh. I know I just totes skipped over Wendy's and Natsu's games but I honest to god just have nothing interesting to say about them. So I spared you the boringness. Although by leaving it out it's rushed and also still boring. Oh fuckin' well. At least I finally updated, am I right? Eyyyyy.

So, I wanted to mention the other celestial spirits that I had basically left out up to this point. I went with using their "real names" because I did research as to what I should call them way back when and it was just unused information sitting in the back of my mind. So that's what that's all about. If you want to know, I named them after the lore behind their constellations. Uhm... I'll list them out for you, in case it was confusing up there.

Astraea: Virgo. Obviously. She was the Celestial virgin in Greek mythology.

Chrys/Chrysomallus: Aries. Chrysomallus was a flying, golden-fleeced ram.

Kar/Karkinos: Cancer. Karkinos was the crab that attacked Hercules when he was fighting the Hydra.

Aphrodite/Eros: Pisces. Aphrodite and her son Eros turned into fish and became Pisces.

Themis: Libra. Themis is the personification of divine law.

Gany/Ganymede: Aquarius. Ganymede was Zeus' cup bearer, wine pourer, whateverer.

Castor/Pollux: Gemini. They da twins, yo.

Saturn: Capricorn. Uhm I can't exactly remember my reasoning for this one. It must've been because Saturn is the ruling planet in Capricorn's constellation? Yeah. Let's go with that one.

Loke: Leo. Cuz Fairy Tail. Derp.

Chiron: Sagittarius. I already mentioned this one back in the day.

And I know that I didn't mention either of these guys, but Taurus' real name is Alu, because that's the name of the brutal bull. And Scorpio is a lameass and the only name I could find for him was Scorpius and that's fucking lame as hell so no one is going to ever say his name. The end.

Also, no one knows King's name. Not even Jude or Lucy. He's a mystery.

Okay. So... I'm sorta back into writing. I'll try to update What it Means to Be next. (Oh shit, I have to figure out what is even happening in that one...) Uhm... Man... I didn't even mention about the result of Wendy's game. Fuuuuuuck. I'm so out of it. Well... ya know. Eso si que es. (is that how you spell spanish words? No habla.)

Alright I need to shut my damn mouth up and move along.

Love everybody! I know I'm still a shithead and haven't replied to some of the more recent (and a few older) messages you've sent to me. I'M SORRRRYYY. I still love you. And I still think about you all very often. And then I get depressed because I'm like, "Wow, I'm a terrible cow for not replying to these messages, even though I read them immediately and they make me endlessly happy."

Okay bye.

Love-Moo