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BlackLynx17: Okay first thing first I have a couple of things to talk to everyone about. I know it has been A SUPER LONG TIME, but here I am posting and updating the story that came in 2nd place in my voting poll that happened last year... so sorry for the long wait everybody. If no one remembers this story please go back and read the first chapter. I hope to start updating this regularly, I finished about half of it? I didn't plan this one being very long, not as long as Fairy Hotel, but we will see. Thanks for your patience and I hope I'm not that rusting in writing fanfics that aren't Mendy, hahaha.

SECONDLY! I started a ko-fi account so if you could consider buying me a coffee and supporting that would mean the world to me! I'm in bit of a tough situation now, finally realized the degree I went to school for is not really what I want to do with my life, so I have to go back and spent 4 more years studying what I would like, and it's a bit stressful changing your entire plans and just... I shouldn't go into so much details. No one wants to read that, so let me just say thanks for reading. If you can, show me support at ko-fi/blacklynx17. I hope everyone will enjoy this new story. Yeah. Bye.

Fairy Lives

Chapter 2

"How do you all move in this?" Jellal grunted as he marched along with all of his friends wearing bulky armor from head to toe.

"Easily, we just do." Natsu shrugged rubbing his nose.

"You're just not used to it yet Prince, give it a while and I'm sure you'll stop walking like you have something shoved up your ass." Gajeel laughed slapping his back.

Jellal nearly fell, catching himself at the last second and glaring at his friend who was continuing to laugh obnoxiously as he walked away.

"Must I remind you that I'm not a Prince, but just a soldier like the rest of you?" Jellal spat out.

The seven friends all stopped walking and turned to look at their Prince, seeing how straight up his back was, how proudly his shoulders were facing forward, how high he was holding his head, and how great his posture was. One by one they all walked over to fix him up, Natsu ruffling up his too combed straight hair, Gray ripping off the scarf he had tied around his neck and tossing it on the floor, Gajeel slapping his back to make his posture fall, Elfman fixing his stance making him hold onto his weapon instead of having his hands at his side. Azlack hummed staring at him, nodding his head at the new look while Mest stopped Freed from fixing up everything the others had just done.

"Now when you talk try not to sound all knowing and conceited and whatever you do don't start flying around everywhere; that's considered showing off to them." Azlack told him.

"I do not sound all knowing!" Jellal yelled at them.

Even Freed gave him a look saying that he was lying. Jellal sighed and nodded his head, taking their advice into consideration. He squeezed his sword and tried to keep this stance as they continued their walk over towards the banquet room. Already they could see other fairies like them gathering up in the hallways and making their way into the room, some in large groups just like them, others on their own just wanting to get everything over with.

"I just have one question, is there anyone here right now who is actually excited about finding their other half?" Jellal asked.

Everyone was quiet, no one saying much. Jellal nodded his head and sighed.

"This is supposed to be a joyous celebration, so what's the point of doing all of this if none of us are excited?"

"I think we're all just too nervous to feel anything else." Mest said scratching his neck.

"Well there are the doors gentlemen! I'll catch you all later!" Azlack said taking the lead.

"What? We aren't going to all stay together?" Natsu asked, his eyes wide.

"What girl is going to approach a group of men? They're already going to have a problem approaching one of us; we're all on our own at this part now." Gray answered patting his back before he walked inside the room.

One by one everyone abandoned him, even Jellal who was the most nervous of them went on without him. Natsu took a deep breath and straightened himself out before he walked in. The room was decorated with soft lights and flowers everywhere. He saw all the fairy girls walking around, some sticking in groups, others off on their own looking for their fated. Some were already surrounded by their significant other, paired off with other males.

Well... no time like the present. Natsu cleared his throat and started walking in, letting his eyes scan all around the room. So what was supposed to happen? When he saw the one he was fated to be with... how would he know? Would he just stop walking and see her? Would their eyes meet and just... what? Magic?

Natsu walked around the room once, scanning all around. He didn't feel anything special, anything just... wow. So maybe that wasn't it... maybe it wasn't supposed to be like magic. Maybe he was supposed to pick the one he thinks could be his one and just... that's it. Natsu blinked as his eyes scanned across the fairy women who were still available.

All of a sudden it happened.

There was a yellow fairy, taller than most, beautiful bright brown eyes, and blond hair braided around her head with flowers in the mix. She was standing next to a shorter fairy, but Natsu felt nothing looking at her. When he looked at his blond... everything just stopped and made sense.

Natsu didn't waste a second as he rushed over to get to her before anyone else did, almost hovering on the ground and shoving the man heading over to her aside. She looked up and met his eyes, them slowly narrowing as he reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I think you're supposed to be with me." Natsu blurted out to her.

He was expecting for the girl fairy to blush, to smile, to look away, look surprised, and maybe giggle, but no. She looked down at their joined hands then started glaring at him.

"Who in the hell do you think you are?"

Alright... alright... alright... where did his clothes go? What fairy was going to be interested in him if he wasn't wearing pants?

As it turns out, a lot as Gray kept catching their eyes lingering on him. Some even came walking over and talked to him. A lot of nice ones, a lot of beautiful ones, a lot of really, really beautiful ones. And all he had to do was choose one of them? One out of all these lovely ladies? Wasn't that how it worked? Why was he nervous about this to begin with? This all seemed easy enough; there really was nothing to be getting overworked about. One of these girls was certainly his one, that certain ding was going to show itself in a second and then he'd know which one to pick. Trust in sight, Azlack had told him. He was trusting in his sight and boy was he liking what he was seeing now.

The three fairies surrounding him suddenly screamed out loud as they were all doused with water. Gray's eyes went wide as he watched them run away, wondering where all that water came from. A cold hand touched his bare arm and Gray jumped up with a gasp, the touch as cold as ice.

A woman was standing right beside him, dressed in dark blue colors that matched her hair, her hair curled up against her face covering most of it up. She looked a little dark, maybe a little depressed, but something was happening inside of his chest.

His heart started racing deep inside and he started feeling... weird.

No though.

NO.

NO!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

This fairy could not be his fated one! How could she be?! They looked nothing alike, nothing compatible, nothing! She was freaking depressed looking while he- he...

The fairy looked up at him and gave a small smile, but as it turns out it was actually a scary looking grin.

"I'm not letting you get away my fated."

A shiver coursed through Gray's entire being and when he tried to pull away, the girl's grip just tightened. He was captured, he was trapped. He wasn't about to escape this girl; impossible or not it seemed like his fated had found him.

This was irritating. Everyone looked stupid, ugly, annoying, a pain in the ass. What he needed was someone quiet, someone who would leave him alone and let him do whatever he wanted while she could do what she wanted as long as it didn't involve him.

Stupid. Annoying. This was all a waste of time. A waste of-...

Hold on. Wait a minute. Who was that- there was this little short looking fairy, a pipsqueak even. She seemed like the type who would keep her mouth shut, a frail looking type who would more than likely be scared of him. Yeah, that was the perfect type. She was the perfect type, something inside of him was telling him that. A grand grin appeared on Gajeel's face as he started walking over, grabbing her shoulder and squeezing it tightly.

Levy squeaked and flinched away, tears appearing in her eyes as she looked at the man holding onto her.

"You're mine pipsqueak," he chuckled grinning down at her.

"What?" Levy squeaked, tears rolling down her cheeks as she shrunk back.

What was he doing here right now?

Oh yeah, right, his mark of wings suddenly appeared a couple of days ago meaning that he had to attend this ceremony whether he liked it or not. This was all just a lot of work though... a lot of work and a lot of trouble.

Having someone would be nice, but at the same time he wasn't looking to have anyone right now. Taking care of someone else, providing for someone else, worrying and loving another... Mest didn't have time for that. Not time, but he just didn't want to go through the effort of it all.

Mest leaned against the corner of the room, ignoring the eyes of other fairies lingering on him. He looked around the room trying to spot his friends, seeing most of them talking with other girls. Natsu seemed to have the most trouble, having a yelling match with a yellow fairy standing next to him.

His eyes paused to seeing a child in the mixture of all the other fairies. Well, not really a child, she looked almost of age, but somehow she found herself in the mix with others. Mest saw the mark of wings on her chest though, so did that mean she just matured early?

That was uncalled for, but not unknown. She was probably his younger sister's age, maybe a few months or so older. Oh my, Mest could only imagine if that was his sister out here along with him. If she had matured early, she was still just a child at heart. Someone was bound to take advantage over her youngness, take advantage just because she was still naive.

Mest felt his feet moving before his mind could process it, walking straight over to her. He was a little late as someone else suddenly appeared and started talking to her, but he was no soldier and Mest easily loomed over him glaring from behind the small fairy girl.

'Leave' he mouthed, giving him the harshest glare he could mutter.

That man flew right away, Mest hearing the small fairy sigh out in relief. She turned around, planning on walking away, but bumped right into his chest.

"Ah, I'm sorry," Wendy whispered rubbing at her nose.

"No, it was my fault for standing behind you. What's your name kid?" Mest asked.

Wendy looked up at the new man and stared at her reflection from his armor. A soldier? Talking to her? He certainly wasn't bad looking, really handsome in fact, but why on earth was he talking to her when there were so many other girls out there?

"Wendy Marvell... sir," Wendy added at the last moment.

Mest started chuckling, "no sir, just Mest."

"Oh, sorry Mest."

"No problem. How old are you?"

"Um, I'm 16."

16. That wasn't that bad, the mature age being 17-20. He was almost right before, his little sister was one year younger than her.

"And you matured early?"

"Yeah." Wendy nodded.

"Are you nervous about being mated with someone else?"

"Ah, you can tell?" She asked, fidgeting with her skirt.

"If you don't mind having me, I'll be your fated if you like."

Wendy's eyes widened as she looked at him.

"I'm not trying to take advantage over you or anything like that, I just have a little sister near your age and I know I would be worried and scared if an asshole tried forcing himself on her. We won't really be mated, I'll help you get your wings and then continue to protect you or allow you to leave and do whatever you want. Feel free to ignore my offer though if you truly think your fated is here right now," Mest offered.

Wendy started blushing, wanting to tell the man she didn't think that was necessary because she already found her fated. She was staring at him right now.

"Yes," she whispered nodding her head.

Mest smiled lightly and patted her head, something he would do to his sister all the time.

"It's a pleasure to be your fated then Wendy."

Jellal tried to keep his shoulders down, but also straight so he wouldn't be slouching so much. He was trying to seem like everyone else and not like he was raised as a prince for the last 18 years of his life... although he was. There was no way he could pass on this experience, no way. He wanted to be able to pick his own fated, not be presented one who has been trained to be princess of his kingdom.

Jellal wanted to meet someone by himself, fall in love on his own, meet that person and just-... wow. His eyes landed on a beautiful busty looking female standing all on her own in the middle of the room. Her hair was scarlet, such a bright red scarlet that it reminded him of the sun setting. His feet started walking towards her even though he didn't tell them to and all of a sudden he was standing in front of her.

Jellal gulped, his hand holding onto his sword tightly as the female fairy looked him up and down.

"Um- h-he-" don't tell him he didn't remember how to say hello? "Hi!" Jellal yelled out at the end.

The fairy in front of him wasn't impressed, but dropped her hands down from her chest as she stared at the man.

"Hello."

Jellal nodded his head and opened his mouth back up to speak again, but the fairy had cut him off.

"If you're looking for a housewife fairy then you should keep moving along; I'm not looking for a man who's demanding and lazy either. I have a goal that I want to accomplish and nothing is going to stand in my way, no fairy nor mate. If you can accept being the number 2 in my life then I can see us together, but if not then just keep on moving. I don't have time to waste like this." She explained staring at him right in the eyes.

Jellal gulped, his eyes going wide. He's never been talked to like that before, of course he wouldn't have been if she would have known he was a prince, but that wasn't what he wanted. He wanted to be treated like everyone else, and if this is how fairies talked to other people then Jellal was happy with it.

"Um- what is your goal, if you don't mind me asking."

"Laugh and I'll punch you right in the face."

Jellal gulped and nodded his head.

"I want to be the first female fairy to join the military ranks." Erza told him.

Jellal furrowed his eyebrows, "but isn't there rules about it only being men in the army?"

"Well I guess I'm going to have to change that rule, aren't I?" Erza challenged him.

He didn't know why, but he really liked her. She had a goal in life, a purpose, she didn't treat him any different than everyone else he was sure of that, and she had something very passionate she was about and wouldn't let anyone stand in her way. She was perfect queen material... Jellal smiled lightly and nodded his head.

"I'll accept these conditions, so would you accept me as your fated?" He asked, his prince teachings coming back as he bowed down low to the fairy woman and kissed her hand.

Erza raised her eyebrows at the strange custom and thought it over. He was the first fairy who hadn't laughed at her dream and it's not like he was bad to look at... her eyes scanned over the rest of the fairies still fluttering around, but she found her eyes going back to him as he awaited her answer.

"Sure. What's your name?"

Jellal was about to open his mouth and tell her his given name, but that would be a bad idea since everyone knew what the crowned Prince was named, just not what he looked like.

"Mystogun."

"Mystogun, I'm Erza Scarlet. Pleased to be your fated." Erza smiled slightly at him.

Jellal felt his cheeks blushing as he stared at the fairy, he couldn't help but reached out for her hair and twirl it around in his fingers.

"Scarlet," he mumbled.

Just like her hair.