Chapter 31
Happiness

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

.:+:.

"You still never told me her name, you know." Alumina pointed out, glancing to the relatively sweet chimera sitting on the ground beside her, watching the feed of the maze with her.

Moldy's ears twitched her in her direction, before slowly glancing toward her, blinking a few times. "Did you ask?" He asked of her and she gave him a flat stare, how could he have...?

"Yes." She replied patiently.

"Mistress... Her name is Narina." He said simply, "She hasn't used it in a long time though." Sadness crept its way into his voice and Alumina blinked.

"What's wrong?" She asked slowly,

"It... Its nothing really..." Moldy mumbled, eyes falling closed. "Mistress hasn't been happy for a long time, I wish she could find something to make her happy, she needs a place to belong..." He smiled slightly. ".. At least she's having fun, I haven't seen her this excited over anything in a very long time."

Alumina blinked a few times, "Excited?" She echoed, remembering... Narina's voice and expressions earlier. None of them had struck her as being 'excited'.

"Oh she may not look or sound it," Moldy said, seeming to guess what she was thinking. "But she was very excited to get this game going, and I can promise she's even more excited for when someone in your Guild finally reaches the prize." Alumina silently doubted the words, but said nothing against them.

"... If I'm not the 'real' prize," she started. "Why am I stuck here away from everyone else?"

Moldy stiffened, eyes growing wide and slowly looking to her, smiling sheepishly. She raised an eyebrow at the look, not quite understanding why...?

"Uh... I don't actually know, sorry." The chimera chuckled a little and she deadpanned.

"Wait, what?!" She gasped, eyes wide. "Why don't you know?!" She asked quickly, finding it very odd that Moldy wouldn't know what was waiting for the Fairy Tail members, when the chimera seemed to know a lot about Narina's Mazes.

He shrugged, "Mistress chose to keep that secret from I as well as the rest of you," he grinned. "But I'm sure its something great."

.:+:.

"Happy!" Natsu called, struggling against the light blue slime he had stepped into, which was continually dragging him down. The pinkette's cheeks puffed up as he blew a bout of fire at the slime, but his flames didn't even burn it, and only died out.

"Happy!" He called again, sweatdropping. Then he blinked, realizing he hadn't been with the little blue Exceed from the start. He huffed, "Shit..." He muttered, a vein ticking on his forehead. "LET ME GO DAMN IT!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, head thrown back as he let loose a fury of fire from his mouth, the slim sticking to his arms now and still dragging him into the ground.

.:+:.

"Damn it Leo!" Ursa snapped, pinching the bridge of her nose and glaring down at the 'leader of the zodiac', whom was being slowly consumed by blue slime he had stepped into.

"You just about stepped in it too, Ursa." Leo grumbled back, struggling against the stuff. "And let me remind you, what you look like right now." He smirked and Ursa blinked, scowling.

"Shut up.." She mumbled with a huff. All sorts of pastel little fluff balls were sticking to her clothes and hair, adding a plethora of color to her usually grey appearance. She gazed at him levelly with her golden eyes, "How do you plan to get out of that?" She asked and he blinked.

"You won't help?" He asked as she blinked, crouching down beside the slime and peering at it curiously.

"Mmm... I don't think its a good idea for me to touch it." She murmured, eyes narrowed. "No use having me stuck too," she sighed and he blinked.

"What the hell am I supposed to do then?" He muttered and she shrugged.

"No clue." Was the only thing she said in return. Resting her chin in her hand and her elbow on her knee she cocked her head a little, "Would you trust me enough to try and cut you out of it?" She asked and he sweatdropped slightly, eyes falling to her irregular and rather long and sharp nails on her hands.

Ursa could use those nails of hers to tear several things apart, including solid steel. Of course they were reinforced with Magic, and Ursa was very good when it came to her abilities... But he wasn't so sure that would be a good idea.

"Uh..." He breathed, sweatdropping. Ursa blinked at the hesitation and rolled her eyes, taking a seat down and sighing, seeming to sense what his answer would have been.

"Oh well, its your skin anyway." She mumbled. "Any bright ideas?" She asked, but his eyes noticed one of her ears twitch a little, and her eyes focused on something other than him.

"What is it?" He asked, becoming still, the action allowing him to be dragged down slower than when he had been struggling.

"The Salamander," Ursa murmured, glancing sideways. "He's shouting about... 'Let me go,' or something." Loke tried to strain his ears to hear what it was Ursa had picked up on, but couldn't.

Not for the first time, he was impressed with Ursa's hearing ability.

"Is he close?" Loke asked, Ursa shook her head.

"No... He sounds pretty far off, he must be screaming at the top of his lungs..." She commented dryly. She let out a sigh, eyes closing as she tilted her head back toward Leo, opening her eyes to look at him.

Only a flash of green light met her gaze, before she found herself in a completely different part of the maze, with Leo nowhere in sight.

She let out an aggravated huff, ears flattening against her head and fangs grinding down on each other.

"Well shit..."

.:+:.

"Narina..." Alumina murmured, eyes locked on to the Screen Projection depicting the woman before her, eyes level and expression neutral.

Moldy had slipped away as soon as the screen appeared, Alumina could no longer see the chimera anywhere around. Now the sun had set and the day was turning to night, the moon slowly making its way up into the height of the sky. No one had made it to this supposed 'prize' that Narina had promised just yet, and many of them were getting tired, from what she had seen by watching the screens.

Alumina herself was rather tired of waiting around all day, at least she was comforted by the fact that no one was in any real danger. Though she was a little sad, she had missed out on the better part of the Harvest Festival being stuck in this mess... she wished this would all be over so she may actually get the chance to enjoy the Fantasia Parade, which was supposed to be starting rather soon.

Narina looked utterly shocked that she had been called by her name, her orange eyes grew wide as she simply stared for a few moments, speechless.

"... Did... Moldy, tell you my name...?" Narina asked slowly and Alumina nodded solemnly.

"Yes," she said. "And Moldy also told me, you're trying to have fun here, with this game of yours." She pointed out.

Narina nodded a little, "He's not incorrect." She replied evenly, looking a little nervous. "I do not plan to hurt you or anyone within your Guild." Narina promised, "I only which to... Entertain, and thank you." She added softly with a nod of her head in Alumina's direction. Alumina blinked,

"It was only after battling with you within the forest I began to really notice what I was doing." Narina continued softly. "I realized I hated what I had become... I hated hurting people, and I felt absolutely terrible for having almost killed you." She gave Alumina an apologetic look. "I had strayed down the wrong path simply because I hadn't been able to find a place that would take me in," she sighed. "People have no use for someone who uses Game-Maker Magic..."

Alumina stared, slightly out off at the altogether 180 demeanor flip. This was not the same woman she remembered from the first time they had met, it was nothing like her. She was actually trying to be nice, no sneering, growling, snapping, nothing...

Wait, thank her? What the hell had she done to be thanked for?

"I don't understand." Alumina murmured. "Why are you trying to thank me? All I did was sick Aquarius on you."

Narina shuddered at the thought, smiling nervously. "... True. But you helped me realize I was doing wrong once you beat me." She smiled. "I know it sounds odd, but still I feel I should thank you for it."

So... She was being thanked for almost drowning the woman...? Ok... Weird.

"What is your plan?" Alumina asked slowly. "I already know the maze isn't meant to harm Fairy Tail, but it almost seems pointless."

"Pointless?" Narina chuckled. "Oh no, no... It's not pointless! What would be the fun in that?" She asked and Alumina tilted her head. "I can assure you, the prize will be magnificent!" She smiled, looking excited. The first sign of such a n emotion Alumina had seen from the woman. Suddenly Narina's gaze shifted sideways, and her smile disappeared for a few moments as she blinked a few times. "Oh, and it looks like it's a race to the finish too!"

Alumina narrowed her eyes, race?

Narina disappeared from the screen to show the image of both Natsu and Loke standing alone in a dark part of the maze, ahead of them glowed a soft golden light. The two boys were not in the same room however, the screen was split. "Looks like we'll be finished just in time for the Parade!" Narina's voice echoed around her, the woman sounding more cheery than Alumina could ever imagine from her.

Alumina watched as both Loke and Natsu's eyes turned toward the source of the soft golden glow ahead of them, Loke looked skeptical for a moment, while Natsu looked absolutely thrilled. The pinkette must have guessed what that light was, while Loke was still wary of a trap, even though it had long since become clear to him that the Maze wasn't supposed to be dangerous.

Alumina's gaze locked to the screen intently, she had seen both Natsu and Loke be dragged into a vat of goo, and completely lost sight of the two for hours once they had disappeared. This was the first time she had caught sight of the two since then, and she was relieved on the inside to see that they were both quite alright.

But.... What the hell was that light supposed to be, if it was the Prize as both Natsu and Alumina seemed to guess it was?

.:+:.

Loke looked ahead to the glow, eyes narrowed and tense. His stomach was flipping from the sensation of being transported here, odd considering he as a Celestial Spirit should be used to any such feeling, having to pass through his Gate to get to this world regularly. He seemed to have been held in some sort of black room for a short while before ending up here, the last thing he remembered before that room, was being stuck in the goo with Ursa offering to cut him out of it.

He couldn't see his fellow Spirit anywhere around, so he could only assume they had been separated. He silently hoped she was alright, and guessed she was. Ursa could take care of herself, he wasn't even sure why he would be worried... he just was.

He must have been sent here for a reason, and while that golden glow ahead was intriguing, compared to the empty and very dark space around him otherwise, he couldn't help but feel a little wary of it. He had right to, it wasn't just some light, it was Magic. He could feel the Power radiating from the source, calm and mellow yes, but definitely not an ordinary light.

Whatever sort of Magic it was could do anything if he were to get close to, or touch it. He wasn't sure he wanted to risk it..... but what else was there to do? There wasn't anything else here.

"You've entered the last chamber, you're very close to the final prize." The voice of a woman echoed all around suddenly and he looked up, as if expecting to see any such woman floating there. Nothing but black, "Now it's just a matter of taking it, and ending the game." The woman chuckled slightly, "I thank you for participating, it was rather amusing to see you all play." There was a bright happy smile behind that voice, he could tell even if he couldn't see who it was that was talking.

"What is the prize?" He asked lowly,

"Happiness." The voice answered sweetly, "In two forms." Loke blinked a few times, happiness? And in two forms? How could anyone give the prize of happiness? And how could they have possibly made it into two different forms?

Happiness is a feeling, an emotion. It wasn't something one could box up and give, it wasn't a material thing you hold or grab, it was something that came to you naturally and by your own means, it was invisible, immaterial.... So how was the prize supposed to be happiness?

"You'll understand," The woman's voice said, seeming to guess what he was thinking immediately. "Eventually, you'll know exactly what I mean."

He hesitated a moment more, before curiosity got the best of him, and he started forward. The light grew brighter as he approached, until it as blinding and in the bright.... He swore he saw something....

No, someone.

He felt magic begin to wrap around him in a warm embrace, before he was transported again.

.:+:.

Happiness indeed.

The sky lit up with a rainbow of colors, all shimmering and glittering against the deep blue backdrop of the night sky. Glittering pieces of fireworks comprised entirely of Magic rained down softly upon the town of Magnolia, all eyes turning toward the spectacle with delight. Balloons swirled above the streets and roofs all on their own accord, in lines, shapes, some of them glowing with soft light, others bursting to send a rain of confetti, glitter, Magic, or even perhaps candy, down toward the ground.

Water glinting with light of the fireworks and balloons flowed above the heads of those in the streets, there were lights all around, people laughing, smiling, having fun.

Away on the rooftop of a shadowed Building sat Narina with Moldy sitting down beside her, both smiling softly with delight as they gazed down at the shinning faces below.

It was perhaps the most beautiful Fantasia Parade Magnolia had ever seen, it was magnificent, it put a smile on everyone's face, the sheer beauty of it filled everyone with happiness.

The gift that Narina had given to the Mages of Fairy Tail, and the people of Magnolia. On the surface, it was the best Fantasia parade, but that wasn't just it. Yes, the Parade was spectacular..... but it was the happiness it filled everyone up with that was the real Prize, the real gift. No one could ever remember having that much fun in all their lives, it was the best night ever. No citizen of the town, nor member of the Fairy Tail Guild could disagree with that.

And Alumina was no exception, this was by far one of the best night's of her life. She had never had this much fun, she had never loved to be around any group of people as much as she loved being around Fairy Tail right now. Her expectations for the parade had been high, and the turn out had reached a level beyond those she could have ever believed, it was truly amazing to even think about it.

She stood upon a float, grinning with a bright, cheery smile. She was having the time of her life, showing off her Magic, with several of her Spirits on the same float around her, including Loke and Ursa.

Ursa had turned herself into a huge, fluffy bear. A form she didn't use nearly as often, but it got a good reaction from the crowds. Loke was displaying his Regulus Magic, enjoying himself just as much as Ursa and Alumina were.

However, what he had seen within the golden light kept popping into his brain, and what had happened after that. Once he had stepped into the light, he had found himself in a small glade, facing none other than Alumina with Natsu beside him. The shock of seeing her was almost too much, and he hadn't been able to say or move for a moment.

Natsu wasn't shocked at all, he just grinned and asked the blonde where she had been.

"Happiness, in two forms."

The words echoed in his mind, the Parade was happiness, of that he was sure...but there were supposed to be two different forms of that happiness. So where was the second?

He cast a look toward Alumina, smiling to see just how happy she was. It made him happy to see her like this, and his questions were swept away when Alumina turned that bright, happy smile on him, that made him feel warm in its glow.

He wanted to remember this, before he hadn't ever seen her this happy, and he wanted to preserve this memory forever. Ursa too, it had been a very long time since Ursa looked to be having this much fun, and this was only a bonus.

Only he didn't know, this was probably the last time he was ever going to see the two of them ever smile so truly ever again. Those truly happy smiles were lost the moment they returned to the Guild after the parade was over, and Alumina set eyes upon one man.

The smile vanished for good, and in her eyes reflected the most profound fear and horror..... he would never forget the sight.

.:+:.

Alright, here we have ourselves moving up toward the climax and end of the story- as a fair warning, there are ONLY 40 chapters for this story in total. I actually finished this story a LONG time ago, on FanFiction.net

Its just been off and on for sharing it here on Wattpad for all of you to enjoy. With that being said, if you don't wanna wait for the next nine chappy's- you can go to FanFiction.net and search for my name. The full story is there.