You decide to do a little shopping until you can meet Cana for a few drinks later. Crocus is filled with many souvenior stands this time of year for the games. There's food stands, alcohol stands, plushies that look like some of the more famous mages, t-shirts with various guild marks on them, just about anything you can imagine.

About halfway through crocus you see a cotton candy stand and decide to get some. You pick off a few pieces walking down the street when a stand catches your eye. It's filled with figurines of all sorts of animals. You walk up intrigued at a very elaborate one of a dragon. Being a dragon slayer that has never actually seen a dragon was always something you were a bit self-conscious of. Not having a dragon like Natsu, Gajeel, or Wendy made you feel like a fake. You're sprung out of your daydream when a pair of wings are suddenly next to you. You look to your right to see 2 exceeds: One is red with a blue vest, the other is green in a pink frog onesie. The red one is looking at a figuring of a tiger, while the one dressed as a frog is looking at, well, a frog. After a moment of looking at some more figurines you start to overhear the conversation between the 2 exceeds. The one dressed as a frog was quite upset he didn't have any money to buy the frog, and the red exceed was trying his hardest to cheer him up.

"Hi, I don't mean to intrude, but why are you upset?" you ask the exceed, pretending you haven't heard any of their conversation.

"This is Frosch, he really likes frogs but he can't buy this one." the red exceed answers.

"Fro thinks frogs are cool!" Frosch chimes in.

You walk over and flip the tag on the frog figurine.

"Sir, I'd like to buy this frog." you say to the man at the counter and he hands it to you as you pull out some jewels from your pocket. You grab the frog and hand it to Frosch, "Here, a little gift from me, if you start smiling again."

"Really?" he ask looking up at you with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Yes. I hate to see someone as cute as you crying." you flash a closed eye smile.

"Wow, thanks! That's real nice of you lady." the red exceed says. You notice as he was talking his eyes wandered to your cotton candy.

"So that's Frosch, but what's your name?" you ask, pinching off a piece of cotton candy and eating it.

"Lector, of Sabertooth!" he proudly states, standing up a bit straighter as he does, but still looking at your cotton candy.

"Oh wow, you must be really tough. I've heard a lot about Sabertooth." you say smiling. "Well Lector, I'm (Y/n). Would you like to try some of this cotton candy, Lector?" you lean it towards him.

"Yeah sure, thanks!" he says as he pinches off some and puts it in his mouth.

You smile to yourself as you hear someone yell.

"Haven't you ever heard not to take candy from strangers Lector?" a blonde guy says from behind you all. He was not bad looking at all and you almost got lost in that thought, until he finally looked up and made eye contact with you.

"We're not strangers anymore, right Lector?" you say, giving him another piece.

"Yeah Sting, (Y/n) is really nice!" he says back to his friend, now offering him a pinch of the cotton candy he just plucked.

"That may be true, but not all cute strangers will be Lector." he says, trying the cotton candy Lector offered him. You blush a bit at his comment, as his dark haired, also not bad looking, friend speaks now.

"Frosch, where did you get that frog?" he ask the green exceed.

"Fro likes (Y/n). She gave it to Fro!" Frosch says with the widest smile you've seen of the bunch yet.

"Oh, really? Well Thanks I guess?" he says grabbing the back of his neck, unsure of how to feel about that gesture just yet. The conversation is then interrupted by a strange group walking by, a bit too close for comfort.

"Ohh look who's at the Grand Magic Games this year." a girl with red hair says, tilting her head to the side, looking at you. A strange man in black then looks to you and speaks too.

"What an honor it is to see you. Master sure will love this." he says, adding to your sudden confusion.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" you ask, taking a step back.

"Not yet, but in due time, Princess." he emphasizes the word, fully creeping you out.

A masked man in gold armor then walks up, looking at you for a few seconds too long, and grabs the others, walking away with them. You have the worst gut feeling now and start turning frantically hoping you brother is somewhere in sight. Seeing that he isn't, you turn to run in the direction of your inn.

"HEY! Wait!" Sting yells reaching for your arm to stop you. You look past him wide eyed, worried because you can't see the strange group anymore. "Are you ok?" he sensed your sudden discomfort.

"I just need to go. I need to find my brother." you say trying to turn out of his grip.

"Wait, I wanted to thank you for being so nice to Frosch and Lector." he starts, but stops as someone puts their arm around your shoulders.

"There you are! I've been looking for you. It's way past time for a drink." Cana says. "Who's this?" she ask, now noticing the blonde boy you were talking to. 

"Oh, this is Sting." you say quickly before turning to him, "and you're welcome. They're cute, so it was no big deal."

"Still, a lady shouldn't have to pay for my exceed. There must be something I can do to show gratitude.." 

"You can buy her a drink." Cana replies to him while pulling you away, "Sorry, got to go before her brother finds us!" 

"Oh, I need to find him Cana! I need to tell him something." you say to her but she cuts you off.

"Oh no you don't!" She's now pulled you completely away from the group of boys and their exceeds. You turn to look at the group, giving an apologetic smile and a wave. "Nice to meet you all!" and with that, you're off to find a bar worthy of Cana's time.