Control

Ⅴ

"Juvia!" The guild was shocked at Rin's sudden frustration at the water mage. She was solely focusing on the fake Gray clones and not the actual game at hand. Her and Gray were both losing points and falling in the ranks until they both finally ended at the bottom.

    1st SABERTOOTH 10P

    2nd RAVEN TAIL 8P

    3rd LAMIA SCALE 6P

    4th BLUE PEGASUS 4P

    5th MERMAID HEEL 2P

    6th QUATRO CERBERUS 4P

    7th FAIRY TAIL B 1P

    8th FAIRY TAIL A 0P

Rin watched as Gray stalked off with his head hung low until he disappeared into the tunnels of Domus Flau. She saw the other guilds, especially Sabertooth, laughing at his dismay. With one final look at the tigers, Rin ran down into the corridors in hopes of intercepting the ice mage.

She quickly found him in the shadows of the arena's entrance with his shirt thrown to the brick ground and his fist cracking the wall beside him.

    "Gray..." His stone-cold eyes met hers. He seemed surprised to find her looking so sympathetic since all he had seen was anger and sternness since his return. "You did your best. Raven Tail is definitely off, but we just have to sit it out and wait for our shot back at them. Okay?" He gave a stiff nod. Rin could clearly still see the frustration illustrated on his fair skin. She wrapped an arm around his shoulder and used the other to gently pull his head to her shoulder. He wrapped a single arm around her waist and hid his face in her bare shoulder. "You'll get your revenge on Raven Tail and Sabertooth. I promise."

    He nodded and the girl dropped her arms, allowing him to pass her and into the stadium. She looked out the tunnel and into the dirt ground of the arena.

    "Soon..." With that, she retreated back to her guild's balcony to watch the battle rounds.

    "And now we continue to the battle part. A member from each team will fight in a single match. This isn't a tournament. I've just received the list of matches! The first match of day one!" Rin's ears perked up and her eyes widened in anticipation. "From Fairy Tail A, Lucy Heartfilia! Versus, Flare Corona from Raven Tail!"

Rin glared down at the, once dark, guild who smirked at Fairy Tail evilly. There was no doubt in Rin's mind that they were after their guild for something, and she swore she would find out what it was by the end of this week. Soon, the match began and the two women battled it out. Flare threatened the life of precious Asuka, a foreign source of magic interrupted and struck Lucy to failure, and they played a dirty game.

I can guarantee that they cheated, but I have no way other than my own sensory to prove it.

    "You'll get your revenge; on Raven Tail and Sabertooth. I promise." Rin's words from just moments ago rang in her ears. She gripped the edge of the booth and watched as Natsu tried his best to pick the pieces of his hurting friend back up. Rin knew the Games would break them all to some extent, but she didn't expect this much, this early.

    The matches continued as per normal:

    Ren Akatsuki of Blue Pegasus beats Arania Webb of Mermaid Heel

    War Cry of Quatro Cerberus loses to Orga Nanagear of Sabertooth

    And then things began to go downhill.

    "Okay, I'll announce the first day's final fight match-up! Mystogan of Fairy Tail B, versus Jura Neekis of Lamia Scale!" Rin almost fell over from shock before quickly running over to Warren Rocko, irritatingly smacking his arm to get his attention.

    "Connect me with him! Immediately!" He quickly brought his middle and forefinger to his forehead and shut his eyes, broadcasting her thoughts to Jellal. "Remember what I said earlier! Don't do something Ultear would yell at you for."

    "I know, but... If I can fight and win for Fairy Tail, I'll do it." Rin slapped a palm to her forehead.

    "You idiot!" The guild turned their heads to her outburst but she ignored them and proceeded to continuously pound her head against the wall. "Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!" Rin finally slid down the wall towards the ground where Romeo joined her soon after. "I can't watch!"

    "We're gonna lose this one, aren't we?" The brunette pinched the bridge of her nose and patted the kid's head.

    "If he manages not to be an idiot, we might be able to get a tie out of it." Romeo sat with her for the entire match until they finally heard "I don't really understand it, but Mystogan is down! The winner is Jura Neekis of Lamia Scale!" Romeo stood and extended his hand out to the girl. She gratefully took it and pulled herself off the ground to see Jellal completely knocked out. "Ultear must've done something," Rin mumbled to herself with a slight grin.

    "It's too bad that these two were matched up. I'd rather see Jura and Rin go at it, seeing as they're both Wizard Saints!" Time froze and silence followed Chapati's statement. A clock ticked in Rin's mind as she waited for those around her to realize what he said.

    Tick

    Tick

    Tick

    A chorus of her name rung out of their balcony, but the only thing she could manage was a wobbly, fake smile and flames of fury burning in her eyes. Jura met her gaze and began sweating and trembling. Rin jumped into the arena and took a single step. The large man put his hands up in defense as he took shaky steps backward.

    "I-I swear, R-Rin..."

    "Jura~," she sang out. "I thought we agreed you wouldn't tell anyone." Rin's voice was sickly sweet with poison dripping off the end of each word.

    "It wasn't me! I didn't tell anyone! I promise!" She jumped at him and gripped his collar, dropping her polite exterior.

    "Then who did? No one else knew."

    "I-I don't know, I swear! Not even Obaba knew!" Rin shoved him back and glared up at the booth in which the commentators sat. Inside, Yajima held up a small piece of paper which Rin assumed was a note given to them by a third party. She looked all around her and found all the guilds, including her own, looking at her in dismay.

She had yet to tell anyone about her position. The only people who knew were those who shared the same title, like Jura.

Whoever got this information must have good connections. That, or they're good at sneaking around.

Rin heard people in the stands whispering about her and decided to leave this mess as it is. She ran through the stadium up to where Yajima awaited with the note.

    "It's unfortunate that Rin is a reserve member. I feel that it's too soon to bring her out. It would've been a fantastic match between her and Jura Neekis. They are both Wizard Saints, after all. Mystogan shall suffice."

    The note was written in sloppy handwriting and at the bottom was simply signed "Sabertooth".

Rin was furious at their guild and promised that she would destroy whoever leaked her information as soon as she found out who it was.

    "Rin, are you okay?" Yajima was wary as the girl trembled. An evil glint appeared in her eyes and a heinous smirk graced her lips.

    "I'm fine. I just can't wait to get out there." He seemed to buy her false argument and left her to herself where she crushed the paper in her hand. "I'm gonna destroy Sabertooth."