"Cana, slow down!" you yell as your best friend drags you through the crowded cities of Crocus. You were still a little worried about the strange group you encountered a few minutes ago and the thought of getting lost right now was consuming you. 

"We're almost there!" was all the reply Cana gave and you gave up, allowing her to pull you through the endless sea of people. Finally after another minute she was dragging you into a bar in the middle of town, right next to a bakery. Inside, the place was much bigger than it appeared. For being mid-day, it was also packed. Cana was the pro between the 2 of you, so she led you through the crowd to squeeze up at the bar. She ordered 2 drinks for you, something different from your usual beers, as it was a celebration. As serious of a trip as this was, you both made a promise to each other to also treat it as a vacation. Your theory was that if the trip was fun, it would provide some much needed stress relief to help your endurance throughout the games. The drinks were also a little stronger than your usual, seeing as you didn't have as much time before you needed to be back with your team. When you make your way to the middle of the crowded bar, you're greeted by Hibiki. Blue Pegasus is a long time ally of Fairy Tail, so you have come to know him pretty well. Although he never fails to make a move on you two, you both trust him and usually don't mind having him accompany you for a fun time out. 

"So Hibiki, are you participating in the games this year?" you ask him, taking a sip of your drink.

"Yeah I am. I'm assuming you two are too?" he asks.

"Reserve members." Cana answers, knowing that Fairy Tail Team B was to be a secret until the games are underway. 

"I don't wish anyone to get hurt, but I do hope we get a chance to battle each other." he says grabbing 3 shots off of a tray on the high top table in front of him. The shots were intended for the other 2 members of The Trimens, but being the gentleman, and flirt, that Hibiki is, he gave them to you two. "To friendly competition!" he says and you 3 down your shots, scrunching up your faces slightly. "So, how friendly should we get?" Hibiki says putting an arm around you.

"Hibiki, shut up." you laugh, pushing him away. 

"What about you? Cana, are you free tonight?" he says moving next to your best friend.

"I have a date with this mug. You have a date with the mandatory curfew." she says, not intimidated at all by the playboy. 

"One of you will give in one day." he says looking smug, and yelling for another round of shots. When the shots arrive you 3 down them as well, toasting to flirty friendships, laughing as you swallow the burning liquid. 

After a bit of catching up with your friends, you and Cana decide its time for a new drink and head to the bar. For once, even Cana has trouble getting the attention of the busy bartender. 

"What are you two drinking?" A loud, tall man with black hair asked.

"Depends. Are you buying?" Cana barked back.

"Depends. Can you handle your own?" he asked.

"Find out for yourself." you add, wrapping you arms around Cana and smiling back at him.

"Bartender, 3 of these." he says holding up a drink of who knows what. He makes the drinks right away and you three walk back to the middle of the space. Hibiki is now hitting some girl, with Red on the other side of her doing the same thing. You and Cana raise your cups in his direction, mentally wishing him luck. He smiles and turns back to whisper in her ear. 

"This is good. What is this?" you ask the stranger you two have suddenly befriended.

"Keep up and you'll find out." he replies chugging a little bit of his. 

"A challenge. I live for those." Cana replies, taking a chug as well. You join in and before you know it y'all have finished this drink as well. Hibiki walks over holding out a shot for each of you and you guys down that as well. Checking the time you realize you should calm down or you wont make it through the day. You tell Cana it's time to head back closer to Fairy Tail's inn and she agrees. The stranger you befriended for a drink is having a chugging contest with a guy, so you say your farewells to the Trimen and head out. 

You two happily skip throughout Crocus on your buzz and stop to look at quite a few souvenir stands. While looking in the window of a random shop you hear some yelling and see a crowd. Cana and you both share a glance before running over to the crowd and pushing close to the front of it. Right in the middle you see Sting and his dark haired friend, a group of knocked out guys surround the ground around them. Their super cute exceeds are right next to them. Before you can really assess the scene in front of you, you see Natsu make his way through the crowd. 

You're in shock at the difference of attitude Sting has with Natsu versus what he showed earlier with you and Cana. The alcohol consumption didn't help either and the scene progresses faster than you can take in. Despite your confusion, you do note that Natsu is too pure for the tense conversation happening between the boys. You start to walk to your friend but before you can fully reach him, you feel grip on your collar and your shoulder and you're forcefully pulled back.  Laxus. He found you and Cana, and didn't look amused. At that same moment you and Sting make eye contact and he opens his mouth to say something, before you're pulled too far into the crowd by your protective brother.

"Don't just walk into a brawl. Are you insane?" he asks, still pulling you while you are pulling Cana by the hand. 

"I just got there right before you grabbed me, Lax! I don't know what was going on exactly, noticed Natsu needed help." you argue back to your brother, trying to get out of his grip. 

"Flame Brain doesn't need any help. He can handle street thugs on his own." he said finally letting you go.

"They aren't street thugs. They were nice to me." you say, smiling to yourself a little. "They have exceeds so I think they're dragon-slayers too!"

"Nice to you? When?" he ask glaring at you. "Of course they were nice to you. You're a girl."

"They weren't flirting, Laxus." you defend the boys.

"Now i'm confused here baby sister," he says patting you on the head like a child to annoy you, "are you on their side? or Natsu's?" 

"I'm not on anyone's side, I just-" he cut you off.

"Exactly. You don't need to go jumping into their fight." he says turning to Cana. "How many drinks?" he asked her.

"Laxus, we're not drunk and we're not children." she scoffs at him. 

"You two can't behave for a few hours unattended, really? Let's go, it's time for the team meet-up." he barks. With that you're off to meet your team before the midnight curfew.