(All edited are mine ^-^)

      Crystal let out a hum, casually skipping besides her older sister - with her arms out as if she was on a balance beam. "Do you think we'll finally find out about why the guild is all worked up?" 

        "I hope so," Wendy replied. "I'm getting anxious just thinking about it!"
        "You get anxious about everything." Crystal teased, making the other bluenette blow a raspberry. 
         "I do not!"

         "Of course you do!" The younger sister suddenly jumped in front of Wendy with her fists on her hips and standing proudly. "You, the older sister, support me, the younger sister, from the sidelines with power-ups while I fight for what's right!"  
          "Isn't it the other way around?" Kat pointed out, diverting her attention from Carla to Crystal. 
          "Pfft, who says that?" Crystal scoffed, turning around. 
          "Every book ever." Carla deadpaned. 
      Crystal turned towards the trio - all of them wearing shit-eating grins - before exclaiming; "Hey! This is my story, so back off!"
           "Whatever you say, Cry." Wendy giggled, throwing an arm around her shoulder's as the four of them entered the guild. 
     Much to Crystal's surprise, a whole crowd was gathered in front of the stage, all mingling. Excited voices rose from the crowd - making Crystal assume it was good news. 

           "What's this about?" Crystal asked over the noise, looking towards her sister. 
           "Can't you hear?" Kat scoffed teasingly. 

           "Of course I can! I have better hearing than anyone else!" She retorted. Carla let out a smirk, putting a paw on Kat's shoulder.
           "It's not the girls fault she can't understand this kind of stuff." 

           "Hey!" Crystal exclaimed, glaring at the twin exceeds who were snickering in reply. "I do know what's going on!!. . .Wendy, what's going on?"

      Wendy shook her head slightly before explaining what she knew. "I'm not really sure. They're saying Master is making some kind of important announcement."
          "That's not much to go on." Crystal commented dryily, glancing over to a certain flame-brain. "But whatever it is, it has Natsu fired up."

          "Must be a fight then. A fight always gets Natsu fired up." Kat pointed out - just as the curtains pulled back dramatically. Makarov was closest to the crowd with Mirajane and Erza flanking his right and left. To Mira's left there was an unfamiliar orange-haired man. Crystal narrowed her eyes at the male - trying to think of who it might be.
          "Master!!"
          "We've been waiting for a while!!"
          "Hurry up and make the announcement!"
          "'Who' is it this year?" Her guildmates shouted excitedly, making her gaze turn to everyone else in the guild.
      Master cleared his throat - calming down most of the guild - before starting. "Since long ago, this has been Fairy Tail's custom and now. . . The announcement of the participants in the S-class wizard promotion trail!!"
           "Ahh, so that's how they become S-class mages." Crystal nodded towards the three people up on the stage. "Doesn't seem that hard."
           "Oh, its especially hard!" A guildmate to Crystal's left - Naki she thinks - exclaimed. "Not only is there limited spots open - but sometimes you have to fight the current S-class mages, do random challenges, and even solve puzzles!!"

           "Hmm. . ." Crystal hummed thoughtfully, turning back to her guild master. 
           "The venue for this year is Tenrou Island, holy ground of our guild." Master let the crowd express there excitement before continuing. "Strength. . .Heart. . .Soul. . .I've been watching for each of these things for the past year. There will be 8 participants. . ."

           "Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Juvia Lockser, Elfman, Cana Alberona, Fried Justice, Levy McGarden, and Mest Gryder."
           "Of course, the pyro and ice princess would make the exams." Crystal whispered to the exceeds as quietly as she could. 
           "Uwahh!! Good luck, everyone!!" Wendy cheered. 
           "Beat some as-butts!!" Crystal quickly corrected, not wanting to face the wrath of Wendy or the Exceeds. 
           "This time, only one will be selected to pass from among them. Get in your best condition within one weeks time." Master declared. Carla suddenly went rigid, Kat following quickly behind as the two of them had a vision. 
       The sisters instantly took notice of the change in their posture and turned. "What's wrong, Carla?" 
           "Yeah, you two looked like you seen a ghost." Crystal teased, but her voice held a worried tone. 
          "N-Nothing." Carla stammered. 
          "W-We just forgot about what we were suppose too do later on." Kat lied as smoothly as possible, keeping a paw on Carla's shoulder. 'We'll talk later. . .'
       Before Crystal could ask anything more - the Guild Master spoke up over the ruckus. "There are some newbies here, so I'll explain the rules."
           "With a preliminary period of one week, you 8 are to select a partner." Mira informed. 
           "There are two rules to partner selection; First, they must be a member of Fairy tail. Second, they cannot be a S-class mage." Erza added.
          "Which means Erza, Mira, and Gildarts can't be a choice." Crystal thought aloud and nodded. "That seems fair."

          "Yeah, having Erza-san has a partner would make you too powerful." Wendy agreed, nodding as well. 
         "The details of this exam will be reveled after arrival to Tenrou Island." Master crossed his arms with a small amount of smugness. "But this time, Erza will attempt to block you from proceeding."
         "I'll also be a troublemaker this time." Mira smiled sweetly, raising her hand. 

         "Enough whinning," Gildarts chuckled at the guilds commotion. "This is a path that all S-rank mages have gone down."

         "Well," Kat sighed, looking towards Natsu, Gray, and Elfman. "You all are dead." 
         "The chosen eight will take their partners with them and gather at Hargeon Port one week for now. That is all!!" The Master announced. 
         "Come on," Crystal gestured Kat and Carla to follow her and Wendy as they headed to where the rest of their friends sat. 
      Kat and Carla exchanged glanced, but nonetheless followed their partners. 
         "Looks like this year is going to be pretty tough as well," Gray commented with crossed arms. 

         "I'm surprised you're all first-time challengers." Lucy said offhandedly.  
         "Are you serious?" Crystal asked, sitting inbetween Lucy and Gray on the bench - Wendy sitting next to Juvia and Elfman. "I thought this would be your second or third year." 
         "This looks like it might be trouble." Wendy admitted.
         "Nuuu, Elfman!!" The male shouted in dismay. "The road to an S-class grows farther and farther away!" 

         "Everyone do your best!" Lisanna cheered happily. 
         "I'm burning now!! I'm definitely becoming an S-class mage!!" Natsu exclaimed, springing up from his bench. 
         "Oh yeah," Lucy perked up slightly. "Has everyone chosen a partner yet?"
         "I'm definitely going with Happy." Natsu pointed out. 
         "Aye!" 

        "Happy?" Elfman and Crystal chimed in at the same time - Crystal raising an eyebrow in question -  as Elfman continued. "That's not fair! If the exams turn out to be a race, he can fly, so it'll be no contest!!" 
       "I don't mind. You'll be in trouble when it comes to a fight." Gray pointed out, smirking slightly at Happy's scared face.
       "Don't be mean, Gray!!" Happy whined before determination appeared. "I'm going to make Natsu an S-class mage no matter what!!"
       "I know you guys are my allies, but this is one thing I can't back down on!" Natsu stated before running towards the entrance of the guild. "I can't stay here any longer! Training time!!"          "Aye sir!!" 

    Crystal looked over to the water mage as she shifted uncomfortably. "Juvia, you okay?" She asked, gaining everyone's attention. 

       "Um. . ." The bluenette shifted slightly again. "Juvia wants to forfeit the exams."
       "Eh?! Why?!" Wendy exclaimed. 
       "Because. . .I want to be. . .Gray's partner." She mumbled, so softly that Crystal and Wendy struggled to hear it. Crystal had no doubt that the others did. 
      "What?" Gray asked, answerin Crystal's mental question. 
      "Because. . .Um. . .Juvia want to. . ."

      "She wants to be your partner." Lucy whispered teasingly to Gray.

      "Huh?"
      "I knew it!! You're after him, Lucy!!"
     "U-Uh, No I'm not."

     "Sorry." Gray suddenly said as a golden glow appears next to him. "But I've already decided on my partner."
     "Hey everyone, long time no see." A suddenly male grinned, looking a lot like a playboy.  Crystal narrowed her eyes in recognition.
     "Loke?!" 
     "Loke!!" Crystal suddenly cheered, jumping up and giving the orange-hair male a hug. "Oh, man, it's been forever!! " 
     "Hey there, Little Gem!" He chuckled, hugging her back and swinging her around as if she weighted nothing. "When's the last time I've seen you? Two, Three years ago?"
     "Wayyyy too long!" Crystal groaned, Loke setting her back down. 

     "Indeed." 

     "C-Crystal?" Lucy stammer in shock. "H-How do you know Loke?" 

    "Hm?" She hummed, turning towards the group of fairies who were shocked. "Oh, I went to the Celestial world, of course!" 

   "She's a Spirit Holder." Loke pushed up his glasses. "She may have those animal spirits as her spirits, but there are different kinds of Spirit Holders. If she ever gets powerful enough, she could get a hold of the Zodiac Keys."
    "R-Really?" Lucy stuttered, clutching her keys. Crystal and Loke chuckled at that, the girl shaking her head. 
      "I'm not going to take your key spirits, Lu." Crystal giggled. "If I did, I'd have to give up my animal spirits - and I would never do that. Besides - I can't even open a Gate key. You're a lot stronger than me in that area."
        "That doesn't explain on how you know Loke." Gray deadpanned. 
        "Like I said, I went to the Celestial world. My spirits have the power to take me to the Celestial world at least once a year. It takes up a lot to even get to their world, imagen how much it would take just to get to the Celestial plains."
      Loke suddenly looked towards Lucy, an arm on Crystal's head. "Oh! Sorry, Lucy, but I'll have to cancel our agreement during the exams. You don't have to worry, I've created a gate using my own magic. So I won't need to use your magic."
        "Just how selfish a spirit are you?" Lucy mutters. 
        "But how will you pass as a member of the guild?" Elfman pointed out. Loke chuckles slightly, taking off his suit jacket and throwing it over Crystal's head - who lets out a cry of irritation. 
       "I'm still a Fairy tail mage," He stated as he unbutton his shirt and showed them the green Fairy tail mark on his back. "On the pride of the guild, I will make Gray a S-class mage." 
       "I'm counting on you." Gray looked up to Loke. 
       "Leave it to me."

       "Since when have you two been buddy-buddy." Lucy huffed with a slight tone of jealousy.
       "So that means you have to fight me seriously." Gray told Juvia. "Lets have a heated battle for once in a while."
     Juvia instantly blushed 50 shades of red - contrasting her blue hued outfit - and gripped her cheeks. Kat was instantly grateful for not being near Juvia. 

       "Come on now, miss." Carla sweatdropped. 
       "Get your mind out of the mud." Kat agreed. 
       "I'll team up with Juvia!" Lisanna offered. 
       "Are you serious Lisanna?!" Elfman shouted in disbelief. 
   LIsanna stood up from her seat and held out a finger. "I. . .was good friends with Juvia in Edolas. And this Juvia. . .She's kinda cute!"
       "Lisanna-san. . ." Juvia breathed in shock as the white haired girl took her hands. 
       "It's decided!!" 
   Juvia grew a distrustful face suddenly, muttering about her wanting to go after Gray. Crystal sighed and rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless. 
       "Wendy-nee~" She suddenly groaned, catching her older sisters attention. "Can we go home noooww? Its going to snow soon and you know I could care less for the coldness." 
    Wendy giggled at her sisters childishness and nodded. "Fine, Fine, lets go." 

       "Yay!" She cheered, quickly jumping from her seat and grabbing Kat. "Bye everyone! Have a goodnight!" Crystal waved before running towards the double doors of the guild - getting hers and Kat's coats on. 
       "She seems. . .more joyous." Lucy commented. 
       "I think you guys are better for her." Loke shrugs slightly. "From what I remember, in Edolas she had a strict schedule. Here, she can do whatever she wants - whether its staying up late or sleeping in."
       "Did she really have a strict scheldule?" Gray questioned. 
      "Oh, yeah." Wendy nodded, picking Carla up and starting to head over to where Crystal was waiting. "She told me all about it. She never had a candy bar before - that was the first thing we made her try. Anyways, goodnight."
       "Goodnight Wendy, Crystal!" 
       "See ya later!!" 

   ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ 

    Crystal hummed as she walked down the cobblestone road with Kat in her grasp and Wendy to her right. Snow got caught in her hair and coat but she tried her best to ignore it.
        "What's wrong, Carla? You've been quiet since this morning." Wendy broke the silence. 
        "Yeah, you too Kat." Crystal looked down at her partner. 
        "It's just. . .I have a bad feeling about this. About this exam." Carla admitted.

        "Don't participate, no matter what." Kat suddenly stated, looking up to Crystal as well. "That means you too."
     Crystal scoffed at this, shaking her head. "As if anyone would choose the newbie around here."
        "There's no one for us to partner with, so no worries." Wendy pointed out. 
        "Are you sure about that, Sky Sorceress? Storm Bender?" The said sisters turned around to be met with the familiar face - one that Crystal felt suspicious about.

        "Er. . .You're. . ." Wendy stammered.
        "I am Mest. Previously Mystogen's disciple." He introuduced. 
        "Mystogen's disciple?!" Wendy gasped. 
      'You trust this guys crap?'  Kat suddenly thought, making Crystal slightly shake her head in a 'no' motion. 

         "I heard a lot about you from Mystogen." He said nonchalantly, raising his head to the sky and started chomping on the snow that fell.

         "Uh. . .What are you doing?" Crystal asked with a bit of uneasiness. 
         "I want to know how snow tastes. Don't mind me." Mest waved off. 
         ". . .Okay."
         "What's with this guy?" Carla muttered. 
        "Sorry, Storm Bender, but will you lend me your power, Sky Sorceress?" He asked. 
        "Is that the way you ask someone for a favor?!" Carla snapped, making the two bluenette's sweatdrop. 
        "Sorry," Mest apologized, looking back at Wendy. "I have the tendency to become absorbed whenever I find something I want to know about." Carla suddenly wiggled her way out of Wendy's grasp and stood besides Wendy. Kat simply snuggled deeper into Crystal's coat.
        "Wendy. With your power, I can finally know about the world of the S-class mages. Please lend me your powers."
        "Eh?. .. But. .. I'm just-" Wendy started but Carla instantly interrupted.
        "There's no way she'd do that!!"

    Mest sighed through his nose, glancing towards the canal next to them. The next moment, he's floating in the ice-cold water. "I want to know. I want to know what a winter river truly is." 
        "You are by no means to hang out with this weirdo!!" Carla declared. 

        "Don't go near him, Cry," Kat mumbled. "You'll catch his weirdo germs. . ."

        "But. . .He doesn't seem like a bad person." Wendy defended. "And I wasn't able to repay Mystogan in anyway, even though I own it to him."

        "You saved Edolas!! That should be enough!!" Kat pointed out tartly. 
        "But that was only the result. . .Personally, I feel-"
        "NO means NO!"
        "Carla." Crystal suddenly sighed and lowered her voice slightly. "I don't trust him all that much. But if Wendy wants to, she can."
     Carla stared at the younger girl in shock for a minute or two before letting out a huff and walking away from the three mages and exceed. 
        "If you want to go to that stupid thing, go ahead."

        "Thanks Crystal." Wendy whispered in a hushed tone. Crystal shrugged, giving her sister a grin and following Carla. 
        "No prob, sis. What else could I have done?"
        "Defended Carla, for one. . ."
       "Hey, Kat, lets just play the quiet game!"

   ☁️ ☁️ ☁️ 

        'What was that, early this morning?'

        'I have no idea - but since Wendy is going to the trials now, she's going to be in it!'

    Kat and Carla sat on the small couch by the stairs - Wendy and Crystal asleep in their respective beds. The two exceeds were speaking through the small bond Kat sat up between them. 

       'I still don't know what we even saw. . .'  Kat muttered, mind flashing back to the images that played in Carla's head earlier that morning. Cana bawling on her knees, gripping her hair tightly, Natsu's teary eyes, Crystal getting buried alive under a pile of dirt, and a hand falling limply to the ground. 
       'H-How would Crystal even be there? Better yet, why does your vision practically spell out 'Death'?' 
       "I don't know!!" Carla snapped out loud with a hard voice. The two exceeds instantly froze at the sudden shift of the bed from Wendy's bed before slowly relaxing as she continued to snore softly. 'I-I don't know."

    Kat's green eyes met Carla's and she placed a comforting paw on her shoulder. "Come on, lets get some sleep. We have six days to make a plan."