Control

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Rin sprinted through Crocus after seeing a huge beam of magic. It appeared to be Gajeel's magic but she needed to make sure. She eventually found the Iron Dragon Slayer kneeling in front of Rogue's fallen body and Frosch standing in between them.

"Gajeel!" Said male turned around at the sound of Rin's voice and cocked an eyebrow at his comrade. "I felt strange magic and came to make sure you were okay."

"Something happened to him. Don't know what, though..." She looked over at Frosche and knelt down before him.

"Hey, there." She placed a gentle hand on his head and patted it slightly. "Mind if I check on your partner, there?" With teary eyes, Frosch looked between her and Rogue, unsure. "I'm not gonna hurt him. He's done fighting for today." The green Exceed gave a wary nod and Rin slowly moved around him and to Rogue's side. Suddenly, a bright white beam erupted in the sky in the shape of Sabertooth's emblem.

Rin grimaced at the sight and turned her head away.

"Sting..."

"Go, Gajeel," she said. "I'll catch up in a sec." Without a word of acknowledgment, the Iron Dragon Slayer took his leave. Rin sighed and sniffed the air. "It smells like you, but different... What happened?" Her steely eyes met Rogue's.

"It was... Me? He said he was me... The next thing I knew, I was here on the ground in pain from Gajeel." He chuckled slightly but Rin didn't find this one bit amusing.

"Get back to the arena and stay out of trouble. I have to go beat some sense into your friend." The brunette began to walk away and toward where the beam of light was.

"Rin?" She hummed in acknowledgment. "Please forgive Sting." She scoffed to herself and continued walking so she could end the day's event.

The four members of Fairy Tail stood side by side with a space in the middle where Rin would eventually stand if she showed up.

"Missing a member? Didn't think she'd get taken out," Sting slandered.

"She's coming," Gajeel interrupted. "She has bigger things to worry about." Gray looked at him in confusion but let the matter rest.

"Well, let's get started anyway. It'll be better to finish all of you and then truly test my power on someone like her."

"Like hell you will," a new voice growled. Sting looked past the group and found their missing comrade making her way toward them.

"Welcome. Better late than never," he said confidently. "Fine, Rin. How about you and me fight it out? I'm sure that's what you were hoping for anyway." All of the girl's anger washed away and now she could only look at him with pity. She wouldn't fire up her magic for fighting or even make an attempt to attack him. She simply took a step forward in front of her comrades and blocked them off with a wall of her magic.

A swirl of bright, white light circled around the blonde male as he took on a fighting stance. "I'll show you my newly-awakened power!" Rin stood indifferently as she watched him prepare himself.

He finally brought his eyes up to meet hers and they widened at the connection. Sting was suddenly flooded with guilt from this past week. After everything I've done to her... She isn't going to retaliate... Her eyes were soft as they stared back at him. There were hidden emotions, but not those of anger or sadness. Something Sting couldn't quite comprehend. Why...?

"I don't hurt those I care about. I protect them." Sting's magic fell to nothingness. He simply stood in front of her. He finally took a moment to notice the damage that had been done to her. Her shirt was torn and her legs were scratched up. Bruises were beginning to form on her arms. That's when he realized that she was totally invincible. No, he already knew that. He learned that the night she came to see him. He learned that the day before when he had broken her down...