"This year's S-Class participants will be . ." Master Makarov announced, "Natsu Dragneel, Gray Fullbuster, Juvia Lockser, Cana Alberona, Freed Justine, Elfman Strauss, Mest Grinder, and Levy McGarden."

The guild erupted in screams and applause for the eight chosen ones.

The S-Class trials were about to begin. During this test, eight chosen wizards would have a week to find a partner. After that week, the sixteen people (plus Makarov) would travel to Tenroujima (Fairy Tail's sacred island) where a series of battles would take place.

The last wizard (or wizards) standing wins.

 One Week Later . . .

"Alright folks," Makarov raised his voice so that everyone could hear him. "when we get to the island, there will be eight routes. Once a team enters a route, the route cannot be used again. Each route will have some type of battle." He cleared his throat. "You will either fight against another team, or you will fight an S-Class wizard. The teams that clear this first round of the trials will advance."

"Sounds easy!" Natsu grinned. Then he looked over to his partner, Happy. "I hope we get to fight Erza!"

Everyone was on the ship, heading to Tenroujima Island. The teams consist of the following:

1. Natsu and Happy

2. Gray and Loki

3. Mest and Wendy

4. Cana and Lucy

5. Elfman and Evergreen

6. Freed and Bickslow

7. Levy and Gajeel

8. Juvia and Lisanna

The teams were pumped, determined to become S-Class.

"I just hope we don't run into Jasmine." Lucy sighed.

"Or Gildarts." Gray mumbled.

"Heh, I can take both of them!" Gajeel declared, grinning. The truth was that he'd rather run into Gildarts than Jasmine. He still shook when she was brought up.

"Gajeel, no we can't." Levy sighed.

"What about Mira?" Cana suggested.

"I wanna fight my sister!" Elfman declared, pounding his fist into his chest. "I'll take her down!"

"Hmm," Master Makarov hummed, pretending to be in thought. "I'll keep that in mind."

"What exactly do you mean, Master?" Freed asked, narrowing his eyes at the aged man.

"Yeah!" Gajeel agreed. "What're you planning, old man?"

"Now that, my friends, is a surprise!" Makarov smiled innocently.

Everyone became panicked, not knowing what Makarov was planning. And before they knew it, they had arrived at Tenrou Island.

All of the pairs raced towards the eight routes that Makarov had mentioned earlier, hoping to get an easy route. But in this promotion trial, what's considered an "easy route"? Well, it'd be any route that doesn't require fighting an S-Class wizard.

And some pairs just aren't that lucky.

The easy routes turned out to be taken by Freed and Bickslow, Cana and Lucy, Gray and Loki, and Mest and Wendy.

The S-Class Promotion Trials' first stage is as follows:

1. Freed & Bickslow vs. Cana & Lucy

2. Gray & Loki vs. Mest & Wendy

3. Natsu & Happy vs. Gildarts

4. Elfman & Evergreen vs. Mirajane

5. Juvia & Lisanna vs. Erza

6. Levy & Gajeel vs. Jasmine

"I have a bad feeling, Gajeel." Levy whimpered. She and Gajeel walked down a dark path that was lit by fireflies every now and then.

"Quit your whinin'." Gajeel grumbled.

"Um, Gajeel?" Levy asked shyly.

"Huh?" Gajeel stopped walking and looked over his shoulder, and down at Levy. She stopped walking as well. "What is it, shrimp?"

"Uh, well, . . why did you want to be my partner?"

Levy couldn't look at him so she stared at the ground. Silence filled the area, and it was deafening. She opened her mouth to speak, but Gajeel spoke instead.

"Personal reasons." He grumbled, turning away from her and continuing to walk.

"W-Well, what does that mean?" Levy asked, running to catch up with the Dragon Slayer.

Gajeel growled at Levy's interrogation. He muttered something under his breath, his eyebrows furrowed together.

"You know," Levy huffed, putting her hands on her hips. "I can't hear you if you keep muttering things under your breath."

"I SAID I NEED TO PROVE MYSELF!" Gajeel shouted, his voice booming. Levy flinched at his voice, her eyes widened. Gajeel looked away from her shyly, returning his voice back to an acceptable tone. "There's someone I need to prove myself to." He mumbled. "I won't be satisfied 'til I do it."

"W-Who is the person?" Levy stuttered.

". . . Jasmine." Levy gasped at the name that came out of Gajeel's mouth. She had silently hoped and wished for that name to be hers. She had developed a crush on the Dragon Slayer, ironic because the same slayer had crucified her a while ago. She didn't know what came over her, but she knew that she liked Gajeel as more than a simple guildmate. But hearing Jasmine's name, Levy started to wonder if she had a chance. "I have to beat her." Gajeel continued, balling his hands into fists. "I have to. This . . . this feeling . . i-it won't go away."

Levy opened her mouth, starting to say something, but was interrupted by another voice.

"Looks like your wish came true." Both Gajeel and Levy whipped their heads around, seeing Jasmine standing a few feet away.

Gajeel's breath hitched in his throat and his hands started shaking. He grit his teeth and a smirk appeared on his face, his knuckles turning white from the tightness of his fist

"You're just the girl I've been wantin' to see." Gajeel said.

"Is that so?" Jasmine raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, and just so you know, I ain't losin' to you this time!"

"You sure?"

"More than I've ever been."

Levy watched the verbal exchange, a small heaviness in her heart. Does Gajeel like Jasmine? Just the thought made Levy's eyes sting with tears.

"C'mon, shrimp!" Gajeel growled at her as he launched himself at Jasmine.

"Iron Dragon's Lance: Demon Logs!"

Jasmine jumped out of the way, dodging the attack. "I'm surprised the little girl allowed you to be her partner." She said, glancing from Gajeel to Levy before looking back at Gajeel. "You did hang her on a tree, did you not?"

"That was a long time ago." Gajeel said through gritted teeth. His right arm turned into an iron saw. He swung it at Jasmine.

"It was probably, like, four months ago." Jasmine chuckled, dodging the iron saw. "Wasn't that long ago." She reeled back her left fist, lightning bouncing off of it, and swung it forward. Her fist successfully landed on Gajeel's cheek, her strength sending him crashing into the rock wall behind him.

Jasmine straightened herself up, and then looked at Levy who was standing shyly over in a corner.

"Are you just going to stand there and let Gajeel do the work?" She asked. "You won't become S-Class like that."

"W-Well," Levy stuttered. "I know I won't win. I-I don't stand a chance against you."

"That is true," Jasmine nodded, not attempting to sugarcoat it. "but the least you could do is try." She glared at the Solid Script Mage. "You won't get any stronger by depending on other people."

Oh no, she's angry! Levy panicked.

"Speak for yourself!" Gajeel snarled, charging at Jasmine once again.

"Gajeel, don't!" Levy shouted, but he ignored her.

"I am." Jasmine snarled back, snapping her fingers. Electric sparks erupted from Jasmine's fingers as she snapped, and an explosion went off, dust and debris flying everywhere. The cave shook, rocks falling from the ceiling.

I've done it again, haven't I? Jasmine bit her lip and furrowed her eyebrows. I let my anger take control.

She waited for a few minutes to see if someone would emerge from the wreckage, but no one did.

"I guess I won." Jasmine sighed. But she didn't sound too happy about it.