A week flew by as Magnolia geared up for the annual Harvest Festival, a grand celebration held to give thanks for a bountiful year.
The Fairy Tail guild was packed with locals and visitors from neighboring towns, all gathered for the main event: the "Miss Fairy Tail" contest.
"Citizens of Magnolia! And friends from across the land!" Max's voice boomed over the speakers. "What? Someone traveled all the way from the Land of the Dead just to see this? Well, please head back to your graves after the show!"
The crowd erupted in laughter at Max's dark humor.
"Thank you for waiting! Our lovely fairies are about to present a feast for your eyes! The Miss Fairy Tail Contest... begins now!" Max continued. "Your host for today is none other than me, the Sand Mage, Max Alors!"
"Isn't that guy just a shop clerk?" Gray muttered from the sidelines. "He sure stays busy."
"Our esteemed judges for today," Max shouted, "are our very own Master Makarov... and the world-renowned mage, Kael!"
Kael and Makarov stood up and waved to the roaring crowd.
"Kael! It's really him!" "Look at that magic power!" The cheers for Kael were deafening; his popularity had reached an unprecedented peak across the kingdom.
Gray sighed again. "How did Kael end up as a judge? He's younger than half the contestants."
"Contestant Number One!" Max announced. "The exotic beauty with an interdimensional appetite... Cana Alberona!"
Cana stepped onto the stage to wild applause. For her talent portion, she fanned out a deck of cards, spinning them around her in a blur of magic. When the cards vanished, she had swapped her clothes for a skimpy bikini, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
"Contestant Number Two! A new member, a powerful mage, and as refreshing as a spring rain... Juvia Lockser!"
Juvia took the stage, her body dissolving into a swirling vortex of water. She conjured a massive wave that circled the stage before settling, revealing her in her own swimwear.
Backstage, Lucy was fuming. "Another one relying on fan service! Is no one going to show some actual class?!"
"Contestant Number Three! The tiny fairy who packs both beauty and brains... Levy McGarden!" Levy used her Solid Script magic to create sparkling, floating words, winning over the crowd with her charm.
"Contestant Number Four! The sexy sharpshooter from the West... Bisca Mulan!" Bisca wowed the audience with a display of trick shots that never missed their mark.
"Contestant Number Five! The woman who holds the title of the strongest... Titania, Erza Scarlet!"
The atmosphere changed instantly. "She's here!" "Erza! You're the best!" "So cool!"
Watching from the wings, Lucy was amazed. "Her popularity is on another level." Since the battle with Phantom Lord, Erza's reputation had skyrocketed, making her the most famous female mage in the guild.
"Witness the depth of my collection!" Erza declared. Her Requip magic flared, and in a flash of light, her armor fell away. For a split second, the crowd caught glimpses that left much to the imagination before a new outfit materialized.
Erza stood there in a full Gothic Lolita ensemble. The entire guild stared, jaws on the floor.
"Gothic Lolita?!" Lucy screamed internally. "The pressure is getting insane!"
"Contestant Number Six! The guild's own poster girl! The beauty that intoxicates the entire continent... Mirajane!"
The roar was so loud it shook the building. "The favorite!" "She's even cuter in person!"
Mira smiled warmly at the crowd. "My specialty is transformation magic, so I'll be showing you a few of my favorite forms."
In an instant, Mira's silhouette shifted. "This is Kael's bat form." "This is his sword form." "This is his flame form." "His tyrant form." "And finally... his white-bearded form."
Mira cycled through Kael's most famous transformations with perfect precision. The guild went silent for a heartbeat before exploding in thunderous cheers.
"That's incredible!" "So those legendary figures were all Kael?!" "She looks just like him!"
Lucy felt like she was going to have a breakdown. If there was a way to report this, I'd be doing it right now! she thought. Mira wasn't just showing off her magic; she was riding his fame! Everyone knew Kael was the most popular man in the country, and Mira was his girlfriend. She was basically guaranteed to win.
Even Kael was surprised. He hadn't expected Mira to mimic his forms, but he had to admit, seeing her version of Whitebeard had a certain... majestic pressure to it.
"Contestant Number Seven! Our super rookie, guided by the light of the stars... Lucy Heartfilia!"
Lucy marched out, determined. "I'll be performing a cheerleading dance with my Celestial Spirits!" She knew her chances of winning the prize money were slim now, but she wasn't giving up without a fight.
Suddenly, a woman appeared behind her.
"Contestant Number Eight," the voice said haughtily. "The only true fairy here is me. The only beauty that matters is mine. The contest is over; I am the winner. I am Evergreen. Now, let's end this boring farce."
"Evergreen!" "When did she get back?!"
The guild members immediately recognized the member of the Thunder God Tribe.
"Don't ruin this for me!" Lucy yelled. "My rent depends on this!"
Evergreen tilted her glasses down. "Stone Eyes."
In a flash, Lucy was turned into a cold, grey statue.
"What?! What happened?" "Is this part of the act?"
The citizens were confused until Max screamed, "It's dangerous! Everyone, get out of here!"
Realizing this wasn't a performance, the crowd panicked and fled for the exits. Kael's expression darkened as his memories of this event clicked into place. He stood up, his body blurring as he launched himself toward the stage.
CRACK!
A bolt of golden lightning fell from the ceiling, aimed directly at Kael's path. Kael skidded to a halt, the lightning striking the floor just inches in front of him.
BOOM!
As the smoke cleared, Laxus stood there, a smirk on his face. "Yo, Kael. Fancy meeting you here."
"Laxus, what do you think you're doing?" Makarov shouted, stomping toward his grandson. "Are you trying to destroy the festival?!"
"A festival needs some excitement, doesn't it?" Evergreen snapped her fingers, and the stage curtains ignited, revealing the horror backstage. Every single girl who had participated in the contest—Cana, Juvia, Levy, Bisca, Mira, and even Erza—had been turned into stone.
"What!" "Everyone... they're all statues!" "Mira! Erza too?!"
Kael's pupils narrowed, his gaze turning icy as he looked at Evergreen. "Evergreen," he said, his voice dropping to a dangerous, low chill. "If you don't want to get hurt, you will turn them back. Right now."
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Pokémon Fans — Recommendation
If you're into Pokémon stories, I highly recommend checking out:
Pokémon: The Absolute Trainer
It's honestly one of the best Pokémon novels I've read.
It follows Damian, the protagonist, who leads Team Rocket.
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