Chapter 13

Cheater!

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

..._-+-_...

Alumina and Happy followed Erza in silence as the redhead lead them deeper and deeper into the maze. Both Happy and Alumina were on high alert for any more traps that were sure to be this way, having already set off more than a few themselves before they found Erza.

Erza however, didn't seem at all worried by the possibility of any traps. Instead, she just walked along with a neutral face, no stress, no visible wariness to anything. It sort of seemed like Erza just didn't even care if she ran into a trap.

Strangely enough, as they walked along for close to twenty minutes they hadn't managed to run into a single trap. Nothing. No spikes, no monsters, no holes, nothing.

They had to wonder why, it couldn't just be luck could it? Or maybe Erza had forced that Chimera she had interrogated to tell her the way without any traps in it.

Alumina exchanged a glance with Happy, and she could see her own curiosity reflected in his eyes. He was wondering the same, and Alumina decided she ought to just ask.

"Hey Erza?" She began. Erza didn't glance back at her,

"Yes?" The red-head replied.

"Isn't it a little odd we haven't run into anymore traps?" Alumina asked and she heard Erza let out a small chuckle.

"Not at all." She replied. "This path has been promised to me, to be completely trap free as we make out way toward our target." Erza assured the two and Alumina and Happy let out low sighs.

Silence passed over the group again as they continued on, and before long a large dark metal gate rose up in front of them. The space behind the gate was dark and nothing could be made out of the mist that floated above the ground on the other side. The sky above the other side was dark with clouds that only seemed to appear over that area.

Their small group came to a halt in front of the gate, Alumina and Happy stared wide-eyed up at it while Erza's gaze just passed over slowly as her expression remained neutral.

"It looks like some kind of Scary Graveyard..." Happy mumbled beside her, but Alumina didn't even bother to glance his way. He was right, what lay before them looked like some kind of scary movie scene.

"She's inside there?" Alumina asked as she looked to Erza, who glanced over her shoulder and nodded.

"She is, be alert. I don't know what we'll find inside of the gate." Erza warned and Alumina and Happy nodded stiffly to show they understood as Erza stepped forward and slowly pushed the heavy gate open.

It creaked on its hinges and a chilly wind blew out from the other side for a minute. Happy and Alumina shivered violently, and Alumina glanced up at him as she heard him gulp a bit loudly.

She saw how nervous he looked at the thought of going inside, and she cast him a reassuring smile, which caused him to smile a little back.

Erza lead the way in confidently, but she did Requip a sword into her hand, her gaze sweeping over the shadows in the other side of the gate as she remained alert for anything and everything. As they stepped in, the gate shut closed behind them loudly, causing both Happy and Alumina to jump a little.

They continued on into the shadows, the mist swirling around their feet becoming thicker as they traveled in more. There wasn't anything around, no bushes, trees, no more hedges even as far as they could see. It only got darker as they kept walking, and silence settled over the group like a thick blanket.

"Looks like you found each-other." A calm cool voice echoed around in the darkness causing them to all come to a stop. "And you managed to get through the maze without too much trouble.." Alumina recognized the voice as the woman's, and she grasped onto her staff harder.

"Petty traps such as the ones you set out were not hard to overcome." Erza replied, eyes searching for the source of the voice. "Lets finish this game, show yourself!" Erza demanded.

They all whipped around as the woman from before stepped out of the shadows and approached them calmly. Her orange eyes lifted from the ground to sweep over them all, as she came to a halt with her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yes, yes... To finish the game you have to defeat me, those were the rules." The woman said quietly as her gaze landed on Erza. She frowned deeply and turned a furious look on Alumina. "You cheated." She growled at the blonde and Alumina stiffened. "You broke the rules of the game just as it started, by saving that tiny useless fur-ball." Her orange eyes flicked toward Happy for a split second.

Alumina narrowed her eyes at the woman and went into a defensive stance along with Erza and Happy.

"So, that's why I'm changing the game a little." The woman growled as swiped a hand surrounded in her Magic in Alumina's direction. Alumina gasped in surprise as a box made of glass sprung up around her, trapping her inside along with Happy.

In an instant her hands and legs were tied up with rope and she fell to the floor, suddenly off balance. Happy fell along with her, his paws and feet also bound suddenly. Alumina grunted as she hit the floor, her staff clattering against it as it fell as well, and looked up to see Erza racing toward the glass prison, sword in hand.

She swung out at the glass, but her sword just bounced off, not even leaving a scratch on the smooth clear surface. Erza tried again and again to break the glass, requiping into several different types of armor but to no avail.

No One POV

"It won't work." The woman told her and Erza turned her way. "She cheated, this is the punishment. You will only have a certain amount of time to defeat me, saving your friends, and winning the game." The woman snapped her fingers as water suddenly sprung up from the middle of the glass box Alumina and Happy were in, slowly starting to fill it up.

Alumina struggled to get up, pushing herself onto her knees and leaning against the glass as she did so. Happy managed to push himself up into a sitting position too as they both stared down at the water already covering the entire bottom half of the box for an inch or so.

Erza narrowed her eyes at the box as the water started to fill it up, and she looked back at the woman who was smiling at her the slightest bit. "Can you take me down before they drown?" She asked and Erza frowned at her.

Erza held her sword up and requiped into her Flight Armor and pointed one of her now two swords at the woman. "If this is what you wish, so be it. Get ready," Erza's face darkened and the woman smirked more, not looking at all fazed by the dangerous look in Erza's eye. "I will stop at nothing to save my Guild-Mates."

With that, Erza launched after the woman and began her battle.

Alumina POV

Alumina struggled against the ropes tying her up, and she let out a low hiss of pain as the rough rope began to cut into her skin a little. To her left, Happy was also struggling against the binds on his paws and feet.

The water only seemed to be filling up the box faster, not reaching her mid thigh as she was settled on her knees. "I... I can't get free..." Happy growled under his breath and Alumina glanced his way.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Erza will beat her." Alumina assured him and Happy looked her way. He gave her a small hopeful smile and she smiled back, but she wasn't so sure right now. Erza and the woman were going at it, getting faster and faster.

Erza would use her excellent swordsmanship to swing out at the woman in then most spectacular and complex ways, while the woman easily dodged it and blocked the blows with her own sword. Occasionally the woman's magic would flare up around her, and spears, lances, and other things would stream Erza's way, though the redhead always dodged the attacks.

Alumina found herself wondering what kind of Magic the woman was using. Alumina narrowed her eyes when the woman's magic spiraled around above Erza, and a huge creature jumped out of it. It had the head and body of a huge, one story tall lion, horns spiraling out on the sides of its head, its back legs ram's hooves, and its tail reptilian like. It was a chimera that jumped out of it, landing on the ground with a loud thud, Erza just barely managing to get out of the way in time.

The chimera visibly started shaking when it laid its pale green eyes on Erza, and looked toward the woman. "Mistress! Do I have to?!" It whined and the woman nodded.

Erza smirked at the creature, "Ah, it's you again!" She said cheerfully and the chimera flinched at the sound of her voice. "Ready for a re-match?" She asked and the chimera backed away, its pale brown fur glistening in the sunlight as the sun began to set over them.

Alumina sweatdropped, Erza seemed so easily distracted by the prospect of a re-match, so much that she forgot about the issue at hand.

"I wish she would focus on that lady..." Happy mumbled and Alumina nodded. Alumina struggled against the bonds more, the water was now just a little past her waist level, almost covering Happy's nose.

"M-mistress!" Her gaze snapped back when she heard the chimera let out the yell, and she saw him pinned under the iron grasp of Erza, who was smirking.

"Go back, Moldy!" The woman ordered as the chimera smiled in relief, and it disappeared in a flash of the woman's magic. Erza looked toward the woman again as the chimera disappeared.

"I'm interested now, I've never seen Magic like yours." Erza raced forward. "What is it?" She asked, her sword hitting against the woman's sword as she got near.

"GameMaker Magic." The woman replied with a smirk.

"A-Alumina...!" Alumina's head snapped to the left as he heard Happy stutter the words. The water level had risen above his head now, and he was having trouble trying to stay above the surface, not being able to properly swim with his paws and legs tied together.

"Happy!" She gasped and reached forward, bring her arms over his head, and hooking her arms around his waist as best she could with her hands tied together, and pulled him to her chest, keeping his head above the water.

Happy spit out some water and glanced up at her, "Thanks..." He told her quietly. She leaned up against the side of the box, pushing herself to stand up and lean against it to prevent herself from falling over, trying to keep the water below Happy's head as the it kept rising higher and higher.

Please hurry Erza...

But even as the water reached her stomach, Erza still had not been able to take down the woman. Alumina closed her eyes tight as she desperately thought of something to do.

Damn it...! Shit... What can I do? Do I have something to help out...? Cut these ropes maybe...?

But she couldn't think of anything, there was nothing but a spare staff in her Magic Storage, not that she was sure she could take anything out being bound up as she was. With her hands being tied she couldn't grab one of her keys either...

Alumina lifted Happy up higher to help keep his head level with hers, and she sweatdropped. The water would be above their heads any minute, and Erza still had not beat the woman. Alumina tilted her head up, as did Happy as they tried to stay away from the water.

"Happy, take a deep breath and hold it for as long as you can." Alumina ordered, as both she and Happy sucked in air, and their heads were plunged under the water.

Within the next minute, the entire box was filled with water. Alumina opened her eyes under the water, and pulled against the bonds again, but they wouldn't break.

Damn it think!

She had to get to one of her keys, otherwise they would drown before too long. Alumina caught Happy's glance as she unhooked her arms from him, and he slowly sunk down to the bottom of the box.

Alumina struggled to twist her hands around to reach her keys, that hung from her belt. Her fingers just grazed the top of the keyring, but she couldn't reach her hand around more to grab it.

Her lungs were screaming at her for air, but there was no air to breath in here. She twisted around to try and grab the keyring again, just barely managing to wrap her fingers around it, and pull it off her belt.

She cast a quick glance at Happy to see him with his eyes closed, as he coughed out, sending small air bubbles up. Alumina fumbled to grasp onto one of the gold keys, and held it out in front of her as she let the rest of them sink to the bottom of the box.

The key glowed with golden light as she channeled her Magic into it, repeating the lines in her head to open the gate up.

Her golden magic circle appeared before her as the water swirled out of control, and a certain bad-tempered mermaid appeared inside with them. Aquarius cast her a devilish look, not looking at all pleased with the cramped conditions inside the box.

"Out of all the dumps I have been summoned into, this is the worst!" Aquarius's voice vibrated all around them in the water. Suddenly she gave them an evil grin, a glint coming into her eye. "Oh.. In a little of a pinch, aren't you?" She asked.

Alumina cast her a pleading look, coughing out the same as Happy had, and sucking in a little water without her control, before forcing her mouth shut. Aquarius didn't seem to find the thought of her KeyHolder drowning to be pleasant at the moment, so instead she let out a huff and raised her jug above her head.

"Tch... Whatever," Aquarius muttered, the water began to swirl around and around in the box, catching Alumina and Happy up in its current as it pounded against the glass walls. Alumina coughed out in pain as she was thrown into a wall by the current, then suddenly found herself being carried out of the box by the water as one side of the glass shattered from the force of Aquarius's attack.

The water even formed into a huge wave as it moved out rapidly, carrying both Happy and Alumina in it. Alumina sucked in air as soon as it became available, only to swallow a whole mouthful again as the water washed over her head again, the cause of being in the midst of Aquarius's next attack.

No One POV

The wave swarmed out, heading toward the woman and Erza before either of them realized it. The force of water washed over Erza and the Woman, its crushing force bearing down on them in an instant. The woman with the orange eyes was swept away, and smacked straight into the gate they had passed through earlier.

The water level went down, leaving Erza standing, drenched, but looking as if she hadn't even noticed the wave passing over her. Happy was laying on his stomach, looking dazed as the water dripped off the tips of his ears. The woman seemed to have been knocked unconscious as she lay on her back beneath the gate.

Alumina lay on her side a little ways away from the gate, she coughed up the water onto the ground, before letting out a long sigh, panting and trying to catch her breath.

Aquarius floated over and looked down at her KeyHolder, and Alumina glanced up at her slowly.

Alumina POV

Alumina glanced up at her spirit as the mermaid stopped beside her, not even bothering to try and get up. She couldn't help but notice the semi-amused look that Aquarius gave her, and sighed silently.

"Lets get one thing straight, master." Aquarius muttered. "If you ever call me out somewhere like that again, you will drown next time." Aquarius told her and Alumina wearily nodded her head.

"Got it." She murmured. Aquarius smirked at the answer, then smiled, hearts coming into her eyes.

"Now, I'm off to go on a date." The mermaid told her in a rather smug tone. Alumina sighed and looked away,

"Alright, have fun." Alumina replied. "Thanks for saving me." She said quietly, just before Aquarius disappeared back into the Spirit World.

Alumina let her eyes slowly closed as she worked on just bringing her heart rate down and letting her breathing ease until she was no longer panting.

"Alumina?" Happy's voice called out to her.

"Are you alright?" Erza asked as she heard the redhead's armor clinking together as she approached her. Alumina opened her eyes again and glanced up to see Erza and Happy hovering over her.

Happy looked worried, so did Erza, but the red-head still looked pretty calm. She smiled wearily at them,

"Sure." She answered. "Mind cutting the ropes though?" She asked. In an instant, Erza's sword easily cut the ropes apart and Alumina sat up, rubbing the back of her neck and sighing once again. Happy placed a paw on her knee as he looked up at her,

"Are you sure you're ok?" He asked as she smiled at the little blue creature, rubbing the top of his head affectionately for a minute.

"Yeah, I'm alright. Half-drowned maybe, but what about you?" She asked and he grinned at her.

"Great! Thanks to you, Lumie!" He smiled and Alumina blinked as he used Ursa's nickname for her, before smiling back. Erza held out her hand and Alumina took it, the redhead easily pulling her to her feet. The water had knocked her hair out of her low pigtails, so it hung loosely and around her face, her left eye still completely covered by the damp strands.

Erza handed Alumina's staff to her, and she took it gratefully, "Thanks." She murmured.

"Forgive me." Erza said suddenly and Alumina and Happy blinked at her. "I was unable to save you before the water rose all the way." Erza said as her face fell, suddenly looking very bothered. "I am a failure." She said, "You may strike me now as punishment for my incompetence!"

Alumina and Happy blinked in shock at the sudden change in attitude by the redhead, and Alumina exchanged a quick glance with Happy.

She sweatdropped a little and smiled nervously at the redhead, waving her hands in front of her a little as a gesture of no. "That's ok Erza, don't feel bad about it, you did your best." She told her quickly and Erza straightened up, she had gone into a bow as she spoke.

"You are too kind." Erza told her. Suddenly the sky began to lighten as the clouds and mist disappeared, until they found themselves standing amongst the pine trees they had even in when they found the small Guild at the beginning of the day. Scattered around, the men they had knocked out were still lying unconscious everywhere.

They all glanced over to see the woman slowly sitting up, groaning in pain as she held her head.

"You... You won... I'll admit it..." The woman groaned and they all stiffened when her magic blazed up beside her, and the same Chimera from earlier, who seemed to be named Moldy, stepped out of it.

Though this time, Moldy was smaller, only the size of baby elephant. Moldy stepped in front of the woman, guarding her from the Fairy Tail Mages.

"You will not take my Mistress." Moldy growled at them, bearing his fangs. "I will not let you." Moldy growled dangerously. Erza took a step toward them, Moldy flinching slightly at the action, but he stood his ground.

You had to give him credit, he dared to stand up to Titania Erza.

The woman struggled to get to her feet, but managed to, and leaned against Moldy a little to keep herself upright.

"Thank you, Moldy." The woman murmured as her magic spiraled around them. The Fairy Tail Mages sprang forward, but the woman and Moldy disappeared in an instant.

"They're gone..." Happy mumbled. Erza let out a sigh beside them, her sword disappearing back into her Magic Storage, a rope replacing it in her hand.

"There's nothing we can do about it now." Erza told them. "Lets tie this hooligans up and call the Magic Counsel, then head home." She told the two as she turned as started rounding up the unconscious men.

Alumina paused a minute, then looked down as she felt Happy tap her leg. He held up her ring of keys in his paws, and she smiled at him, taking them and placing them back on her belt.

"Thanks."

..._-+-_...

Enjoy! Vote and comment if you can! Thanks!!