Fairy Tail: The Faint Smile in Earthland

📍 Location: Crocus — Domus Flau Arena & Fairy Tail Lodge

📅 Date: July X791

Crocus shimmered under the early morning sun, its rooftops catching gold like a city waking from a dream. Guild flags snapped in the wind, hanging proudly above winding streets filled with chatter, sizzling food, and the scent of flowers in bloom. Every step in the capital seemed to hum with the same shared excitement—everyone was heading toward one place: Domus Flau Arena.

Inside Fairy Tail's temporary lodge, tension crackled like a summer storm. Team A and Team B stood side by side, dressed sharp and ready. Every face told its own story—nerves, focus, hope, and fire.

Gray gave his shoulders a quick roll, exhaling like he was trying to push the tension out of his bones. Next to him, Natsu practically buzzed with energy, his hands twitching with heat.

"Alright! Time to show 'em what real fire can do!" he shouted, fists raised and grin wide.

Gray shot him a dry look. "Just don't burn the place down before the first round, flame-for-brains."

Lucy held her Celestial keys close to her chest, her hands a little shaky.

"Why do I already feel like I'm gonna pass out?" she whispered.

Erza stepped in, calm as ever. She placed a firm hand on Lucy's shoulder.

"We've waited long enough," she said. "This is our time—to remind the world who we are, and why we fight."

Wendy fiddled with the edge of her sleeve. "I hope I can keep up…"

"You'll knock 'em out of the sky!" chirped Happy, giving her a light thump on the back.

At the signal, both teams stepped into the street—and were swallowed by the roar of the crowd. The noise rolled over them like a wave, cheers echoing off the stone. But it wasn't mockery they heard this time. It was awe. And something else, just beneath it.

Fear.

Fairy Tail had returned—not as a joke, not as underdogs—but as challengers, reborn from fire and dust.

Up above the arena, in a marble balcony reserved for VIPs, Teresa sat perfectly still. She looked almost unreal—pale hair straight as thread, her white cloak barely stirring. The Fairy Tail emblem on her back was faint, like it didn't want to be noticed.

Without a sound, her blade shimmered and vanished, sealed away with a flick of her fingers. Her magic coiled around her like a cat curled on a windowsill—calm, but alert.

Macao stood nearby, hands tucked behind his back, squinting at the arena. "I was supposed to be down in the main booth," he muttered, "but someone's gotta keep up appearances. Besides... It's easier to keep an eye on Romeo from up here."

Across the booth, Kinana sat quietly, her fingers locked together tight in her lap.

"It's too much down there," she said, almost to herself. "Too loud, too many people. Here... It's easier to breathe."

Teresa didn't answer. Her eyes flicked across the arena, dissecting every motion.

"Gray's balance shifts too high when he moves right—easy target for a low strike," she murmured.

"Natsu's wild. All instinct. Strong, but too loose. No control."

Her gaze rested longer on Erza. Her brow creased slightly.

"She walks like she's still dragging chains... but she moves forward anyway. Foolish. Brave."

Macao raised a brow. "Wait, was that... a smile?"

Teresa blinked once. "No," she said, voice flat as winter glass.

Kinana glanced between them, visibly unsure if she should laugh or stay silent.

Down in the main stands, Makarov leaned over the railing like he was about to fall right off. Levy scribbled notes beside him, eyes wide with wonder, while Jet and Droy fought for elbow room to see better.

Floating just above, the faint glow of Mavis Vermillion watched quietly. Her hair flowed like silk underwater, and her expression flickered between pride and worry.

"They've come so far," she whispered. "Every step, every mistake... It's all part of who they are now."

Makarov wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "They've become something bigger than just a guild. Something stronger."

When the announcers called out the guild names—"FAIRY TAIL A! FAIRY TAIL B!"—the crowd exploded. Lights flashed across the sky. The ground shook.

Lucy clutched her keys tighter. Wendy tried to steady her breath. Natsu let out a roar so loud that it made people flinch. Gray cracked his knuckles. Erza stood tall, her gaze like a drawn sword.

And above it all, Teresa stayed still. Her presence didn't need noise—it settled like fog over the arena, silent but impossible to ignore.

Mavis leaned forward, her voice soft. "They're not just a guild now... they're a harmony. A single song played by many hearts."

Teresa glanced her way. For a fraction of a second, something flickered behind her eyes. Not warmth. Not approval. Just... something else. A memory, maybe. Then it was gone.

As the magic screens lit up, showing every corner of the battlefield, the games truly began. The first event—the Labyrinth—had only been a teaser. Now came the real battles. The ones that would be carved into memory.

And in that moment—when the heat of the sun hit metal and sweat, when courage squared off with fear—Fairy Tail stood tall, in the very center of it all.

Above, Teresa remained motionless. Her blade, tucked away in another world, stayed silent. Whatever smile had touched her lips had vanished. To everyone watching, she was just a ghost in the stands.

But some ghosts carry swords. And some never stop watching.