Chapter 18

Choosing

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Energy Magic and my Ideas

.:+:.

Chase and Frea settled into life back at the Guild pretty well. Everyone had the same reaction to Chase as Lucy and Gray had. It seemed like everyone was just surprised to see how much Chase had seemed to change in the nine months they had been training.

To Frea, having spent that entire time training with the young man, she hadn't noticed the changes as much as everyone else did. But now that she looked for it, Chase had changed. He was no longer the skinny, weak, scared looking kid, he had been when she first met him. He was stronger, smarter, taller...

And not surprisingly, as soon as she got back, Natsu and Gajeel had demanded for a fight. Erza had been right when she said the two had been going stir-crazy, the two really had gone all out at her. But she did knock them off the cliff into the water and end the fight before they destroyed too much.

Today Frea was watching people in the guild run back and forth from the door to the request board. Her eyes followed them as they ran in and out, and blinked in surprise when a large group of people crowded around the bar to speak with Mirajane. A lot of people were rushing around frantically, while others just seemed to be in their normal day-to-day routines.

Frea leaned back against the wall, she was sitting on her regular bench. Her silver eyes narrowed, what is going on? I feel like I'm forgetting something...

She tapped a finger to her chin and closed her eyes.

"What is it though?" She murmured and opened her eyes to glance at the floor. "Lets see... It's the end of the year..." She told herself. "What happens at the end of the year?" She honestly felt like she should know, but at that moment she couldn't quite put her finger on it...

Then it clicked.

"Ah... Everybody's getting ready for the S-Class Exams..." She murmured and smiled. That explains why everyone is running around to get jobs done...

She noticed that Gajeel, Wendy, Chase, Juvia and Lucy were looking rather confused. They don't know what's going on, all they know is that everyone is acting weird...

Frea sighed and leaned her head against the smooth stone of the wall behind her. Tensions were always running high around this time of year. Especially with a select few of the members, like Cana. Cana was always down around this time of year, though she sort of understood why... The brunette had failed the exams four times.

But there was something else too, she had noticed it awhile ago... But Cana was always looking at Gildarts with sadness... Longing? Or maybe it was shame... One of those, though she was never sure why.

She glanced sideways toward the entrance to the Guild. Wonder whose going to be in the exams...?

.:+:.

Frea blinked the sleep from her eyes as she pushed herself out of bed. She ought to get up early today, she wanted to hear who was chosen for the S-Class Exams. But she didn't want to hear in the hopes she would be chosen, she didn't care, she didn't want to, she had gotten over the excitement of the Exams a long time ago.

When she had been younger, sure she had been excited about the Exams. Who wouldn't be at that age? But after she had destroyed half of Magnolia and harmed her Guild members... All because she wasn't strong enough to keep Shadow from taking over...

Frea let out a long sigh as she opened her drawers, looking for what she wanted to wear today.

After that... She never wanted to be part of the Exams. Makarov had asked her many times, but she always told him no. How could he think that someone who had hurt the guild, deserved to even be given the chance to become an S-Class?

She let out another sigh and pulled on her clothes, simple dark skinny jeans, a grey tank top, with a black shirt with long sleeves that hung off her shoulders, clearly showing her Fairy Tail mark. Frea walked into the bathroom and brushed out her hair, before pulling it up into a loose ponytail with her bangs and two strips of hair left out to border her face, and tying it up with a black ribbon.

She headed back into her room and laced up her combat boots, before making sure her door was locked, and jumping lightly out of her window. Her feet hit the stiff and frosted grass at the bottom with a soft crunch and her breath billowed out in front of her. She sighed, never being a big fan of cold weather.

She found herself in the stuffed Guild Hall in little time, everyone talking excitedly around her as they cast anxiuos glances at the stage, where a red curtain was dropped down.

Frea watched the curtain to the stage rise up slowly, and the crowd cheered when Master, Mira, Erza and Gildarts could be seen standing atop the stage.

"Our Guilds S-Class Exams will be held in a weeks time!" Makarov declared. "I have been watching all of you, your dedication, your heart."

The crowds suddenly became so loud, Master was forced to pause and wait for the noise to quite down.

"There will be nine people chosen to participate in this years S-Class Exams!" Master exclaimed. Everyone yelled out around her and she looked away from the stage to sweep her gaze over everyone, nine out of all of them... "The Exams will be held on Tenrou Island, our Guild's Holy Land." He explained and Frea looked back at the stage.

Tenrou...? Why would he hold the Exams there?

"The nine participating this year will be," Master started and the Guild grew quiet. "Natsu Dragneel!"

Frea caught sight of Natsu looking rather pleased near the front of the crowd.

"Gray Fullbuster!"

Gray smirked as his name was called and Frea smiled, those two get picked in the same year?

"Juvia Lockser!"

Juvia froze when her name was called and she looked rather shocked she had been chosen.

"Cana Alberona!"

Frea glanced sideways to see Cana looking relatively unhappy, despite the chorus of approval that had risen up when her name was called.

"Mest Gryder!"

Frea only caught sight of this Mage's back.

"Freed Justine!"

She immediately picked the green-haired man out of the crowd, and she picked up on him saying, 'follow in Laxus' footsteps' or something of that nature.

"Elfman Strauss!"

No surprise there, the large man seemed to have been working hard for it all year.

"Levy Mcgarden!"

That was a little surprising, she would never have expected Levy to be chosen.

By now everybody was on the edge of their seats, there was one more person waiting to be chosen. Frea glanced around the hall, trying to figure who it could be...

Gajeel maybe? Though she doubted it, the Guild still had some trust issues with him...

"The last Mage Chosen to be in the Exams is;" Master paused slightly, before speaking again.

"Frea."

Frea stiffened as her name was called and she looked back up at the stage, catching Master's eye, as she was faintly aware of the Guild cheering for her.

He hadn't even asked her this year... He had asked her every other year before now... But this year... He hadn't even asked her if she wanted to be part of the Exams...

Why is he choosing me?

She gave him a questioning look as their gazes met, silently asking why.

The look that Master gave her though, told her not to argue with his decision, and she gave him a slight nod to show him she wouldn't argue this time.

"Some of you are new to this, you are required to choose a partner within the week that you have until the Exam." Makarov continued. "The only rules on your partner, they must be part of Fairy Tail, and you cannot ask and S-Class Wizard to be your partner."

So I have to find a partner... Frea let out a sigh. She didn't even want to do this damn exam...

"You have a weeks time to prepare for the Exams, we will be meeting at Hargeon Port before going to Tenrou Island."

"I will be there to help slow you down during the Exam." Erza stepped forward and told the crowd, gaze passing over all of the participants.

"So will I." Mira smiled.

"You mean they'll have to get past Erza and Mira?" Frea glanced over when she heard Lucy ask the question.

"The Exams just got way harder!"

"No complaining." Gildarts called out and smirked.

"Will you be in the Exams too, Gildarts?!" Natsu asked excitedly.

"Don't sound so happy about it!" Elfman yelled at Natsu. Frea let out a heavy sigh, so Mira, Erza and Gildarts will be there to slow us down...?

"Why did he pick me...?" She muttered under we breath. Usually she would have refused right out, but she couldn't get Master's look out of her mind. This time it didn't matter if she didn't want too, he was going to make her at least try.

Master and the rest of the S-Class Mages stepped off the stage and everyone separated into groups to talk. Frea walked over to a table with Lisanna, Juvia, Lucy, Natsu, Happy, Gray, and Elfman, taking a seat at the end of the table.

"So your finally in the exams this year," Gray said as he glanced over and she crossed he arms over her chest.

"Yeah..." She mumbled. Not that I want to be...

"Who are you guys going to choose as your partners?" Lucy asked.

"Happy's going to be my partner." Natsu grinned.

"Aye!"

"No fair! If the contest is a race you'll win!" Elfman exclaimed.

"Yeah, but if its a fight they're pretty much at a loss..." Lucy told him quietly.

"You'll see! I'm gonna make Natsu and S-Class!" Happy exclaimed, and with that the pair sprinted from the hall, yelling something about training.

"Juvia wants to quit the Exams..." Juvia mumbled.

"Why?" Gray asked and Frea smiled a little when she heard Juvia's quiet response of,

"Juvia wants to be partners with you..."

Gray exchanged a glance with Lucy because they couldn't hear it.

"She said she wanted to be partners with you." Frea explained and Gray smiled.

"Oh come on Juvia, it'll be great. Don't hold back on me, lets have a passionate battle like the old days!" Gray told her and Juvia went off into her own dreamland after he said that.

"I'll be Juvia's partner." Lisanna piped up.

"B-but Lissanna..." Elfman stammered.

"I work great with Edolas Juvia, plus this one seems cute." Lisanna explained. "Besides, you've been getting a passionate stare this entire time."

Frea glanced behind her to see Evergreen starring at Elfman with a look somewhere between annoyance and neutrality. Elfman seemed a little stressed once he realized Evergeen had been watching him.

"She must be pissed that Freed chose Bickslow." Lisanna murmured. Frea looked away as Chase sat down next to her and she gave him a smile.

"Whose your partner Gray?" Lucy asked.

Gray smirked, "Somebody I made a promise with awhile ago."

Frea glanced away when se felt a familiar Energy Appear in the Guild. Coming toward them, was a young man in a suit, with orang hair and tinted glasses. She smiled as he drew near.

"Hey Loke!" She greeted him and he smiled back.

"Hey guys." He turned to Lucy who was looking rather shocked. "I terminated our contract for the duration of the Exams Lucy. And I came here on my own so I won't drain your Magic Power." The spirit told his Master.

"We made a promise a few years back." Gray smirked. "So we're going to be partners."

"Are you considered part of Fairy Tail though?" Elfman asked and Loke smirked.

The Lion Spirit took off his jacket and pulled his white shirt off his shoulders, revealing a green Guild Mark on his back.

"I'm a Fairy Tail Mage, and I'm going to help Gray become and S-Class with the pride of my Guild at my back." Loke told them as he pulled his shirt back up over his shoulders and buttoned it.

"Who are you planning on taking as your Partner, Frea?" Lucy turned her attention toward her, and she blinked.

"This kid." Frea replied as she hooked her arm around Chase's neck.

"I'm not a kid Teach!" Chase snapped and she smiled.

"You'll always be a kid to me." She teased and the young man let out a sigh.

"Whatever Teach..."