08x276 - Challenger

[bunniefuu]

[LUCY]

This is Crocus,

the bustling, flower-blooming

capital of the Fiore Kingdom!

A city that once

again finds itself

hosting the annual

Grand Magic Games.

It's time to see the

kingdom's wizard guilds

competing for the coveted

title of "Fiore's finest"!

[LUCY] The glowing palace

of lights, Mercurius,

shines as the crown jewel

in the heart of it all.

Atop a craggy mountain

to the west

stands the true

home of the games,

the Domus Flau coliseum.

And this fabulous

little apartment

is where I call home these days.

At , Jewel,

it's a bit pricier than

my place in Magnolia.

But the location can't be b*at!

So many shops and cafes nearby.

It's a like whole new exciting

world has opened up for me!

Good morning, world.

It's time to face

a brand new day.

I miss my old place sometimes,

all those peaceful mornings.

Just me alone with my thoughts.

Till I walk into

the living room.

Come on!

Well, no time for moping around!

Flowers can't bloom

without water, right?

--[LUCY chuckles]

--[PLUE gibbers]

And they can't grow without

a little stretching.

[PLUE cries]

[PLUE cries]

[yelping]

[LUCY humming]

Everything's so fresh here.

This fruit is amazing.

Plus, it does wonders

for my skin!

[PLUE gibbers]

[LUCY] All right, gotta

look extra cute today!

[LUCY]

All done!

Now it's time for

me to go to work!

[PLUE gibbers]

[NARRATOR] It is now ,

one year has passed

since humanity's epic battle

against the Demons of Tartaros.

[CROWD cheering]

[CHAPATI]

Ladies and gentlemen,

it's going to be a

thrilling day four

of the Grand Magic Games!

Greetings! Howdy, folks,

it's Chapati Lola again.

Joining me here is Former

Member of the Magic Council

and Fiore's current

favorite celebrity chef!

That man is Mr. Yajima!

Good to be here.

So are we ready to see

some heart-stopping

battles of wizardry?

Oh crap, it's already

getting started!

I need to see a

valid pass, please.

Huh? Oh, right!

Wait, i-it's in here.

At least, I hope it's in here.

We can't let you through

without a proper ID, miss.

[LUCY]

Can't you make an exception?

No exceptions.

[LUCY]

Aw, come on. Please?

I just said "no exceptions."

I get your point, okay?

[LUCY] Well, if words

don't do the trick.

[LUCY] Umm, I know that it'd be

bending the rules a little bit,

but I won't tattle on you.

[giggles]

[BOTH]

No exceptions!

Have it your way, jerks!

[GUARD A]

What was that?

[LUCY] Okay, I'll just have to

use more brain than beauty!

Whoa!

--[GUARD B] Hey! Get back here!

--[GUARD A] Stop! Gotcha!

Hands off of me!

You ever heard of freedom

of the press? Let go!

Whaddaya know?

[CHAPATI] Now let's get into the

first match of the semi-finals!

After dominating

the earlier rounds,

it's no surprise to see

Chrisark of Duallahan Head

enter the coliseum!

Yo-ho-ho!

[CHAPATI] Will he continue

his winning streak today?

Or will Berick of Dwarf

Gear shut him down?

Whatever happens, it's sure

to be an amazing battle!

Well, Mr. Yajima, your thoughts?

What should we keep an

eye on in this match?

I suppose it'd be wise to say

that we should keep

both eyes on the match.

Yeah, but for what?

This Chrisark fellow is

a truly powerful wizard,

and seemingly without equal.

If you were to blink,

you could very well

miss the entire match.

[JASON gasping]

Cool! Cool!

Aw, man, I am stoked for

these semifinals! So cool!

Hey, boss! So sorry I'm late!

[JASON]

Hmm.

I kinda got held up.

Lucy.

You're looking so cool!

As per usjze!

That was the idea!

Has the match started yet?

[JASON]

No, not quite yet.

But I think it's about to be

over if Chrisark keeps his cool.

No matter what happens,

we'll be here to tell the story!

Cool!

[LUCY] It's crazy how

much things have changed

in the last year.

New place, new city,

and a new job as an editor

at Sorcerer Weekly!

"Editor-in-training" actually.

[LUCY] Literally the very next

day after Natsu and Happy

left for their training mission,

Master Makarov

disbanded the guild.

Although I tried to believe

it wasn't really happening,

it was true.

I was devastated.

It was like losing my family.

Everyone had to pick up the

pieces and go our separate ways.

The others seemed so hopeful

about what the future

had in store for them.

Just like the master said,

it was "time to follow

our own paths."

It took a while for me

to accept what happened.

So I may have gotten

a late start on that.

But one day Jason came

to me with a job.

A modeling job...

[PHOTOGRAPHER A]

Nice!

Cool pose!

[LUCY]

I was apprehensive at first,

but I guess I must've

impressed him

because he kept on hiring me.

[JASON] The last feature

was a huge success,

so I wanna push the

envelope even further!

Yeah?

Okay.

Tentacles off me, pal!

This is so much cooler

than I thought it'd be!

Check out that action!

[yelping]

[PHOTOGRAPHER A]

Nice!

Cool beans!

All right, everybody,

that's a wrap for today!

Let's clear the set!

Thanks for calling

again, you guys.

Of course.

You'll do just about

anything, won't ya?

What do you think about modeling

exclusively for The Sorce?

Well, I, uh--

Honestly...

It's always been my biggest

dream to be a writer.

Wait, do you mean like

stories and stuff?

I do.

How cool! That's great!

You should totally

give it a sh*t sometime!

Really? You'd hire me

to write for you guys?

Oh, yeah!

Hang on. You mean us?

Yes!

I have read Sorcerer

Weekly every single week

for as long as I can remember.

The photography and the

articles are really inspiring.

Writing for such

a great magazine

would be a dream come true!

And I promise you won't

be disappointed in me!

Pretty please?

[JASON]

Hmm...

I don't know.

[LUCY] I'll give it

everything I've got!

Well...

Okay. I guess I could be cool

and ask my bosses

if they'll hire you on.

[LUCY]

That would be uber cool!

[JASON]

But if we do hire you,

it'd have to be as an

editor-in-training.

[LUCY gasps]

Oh, that sounds like an

amazing opportunity!

I swear, I won't let you down!

[JASON]

I gotta warn ya first.

Our models are treated

extremely well by the company.

But a lowly trainee is a

different story altogether.

You understand?

You'll be on the bottom rung.

It's brutal down there.

Yeah, I understand.

And I realize it won't be easy!

[PHOTOGRAPHER A]

Nice! Nice!

Nice!

So hot! I mean, so cool!

[PHOTOGRAPHER A] All right,

everybody, that's a wrap.

Let's clear the set!

Thank you so much!

Cool!

Hm?

Lucy! Robe! Now!

Uh, yes, sir!

[JASON]

You forgot her drink!

[LUCY]

Yes, sir!

[JASON]

Prep for the interview!

Right!

Hey, uh, I hope you don't mind,

but I thought of a couple of

questions for today's interview.

Not in a million years.

Sorry.

[JASON]

Hmm.

I'm startin' to sweat

over my deadline,

but this article is crap.

[LUCY]

Umm.

This might be presumptuous,

but here, I put

something together.

[LUCY]

What do you think?

I dunno. It reads more like

a novel than a puff piece.

[LUCY]

Huh?

Not in a thousand years!

Oh.

That's a whole lot better

than a million, I guess!

I'll rewrite it!

Now hold on a minute.

First you gotta book us a

photographer and stylist

for tomorrow.

[LUCY]

They're booked, boss!

Will this work?

Not in a hundred years!

That's practically

tomorrow at this rate!

For your consideration.

Not in ten years!

[LUCY]

Almost there!

[LUCY]

Whaddaya think, boss?

I think it's time I

teach you to do layouts.

Awesome!

I meant it when I said

I wouldn't let you down.

And I've already been studying

about how to do

layouts on my own!

Cool as ice!

[LUCY] All the articles

have been edited, boss.

We've got a wicked

cool issue this week.

Thanks, rockstar.

And you've gotta be

excited about getting

your first one

published, huh?

[LUCY] Oh, yeah!

Tired, but super excited!

Thanks, I owe it all to you.

You did it yourself.

You don't owe me anything.

That's sweet.

[JASON]

Actually, you owe yourself.

One well-earned day off.

[gasps]

Cool.

It's already been a long night,

but I gotta do this.

[LUCY]

And that's how I wound up here.

[LUCY] All right,

I can handle the editing

and the layout no

problem, boss man!

You're a life-saver.

[LUCY gasps]

[JASON]

It's kind of a bummer.

This year's Grand Magic Games

aren't nearly as cool

as they used to be.

I mean, all of the guilds

that battled it out last year

were like totally

legendary, ya know?

Yeah, there definitely were some

truly great ones, weren't there?

There were.

Especially Fairy Tail.

Well, we're not really

a guild anymore, so--

You still have the

emblem on your hand.

But you guys did

kinda break up.

And you were so cool.

[LUCY] It's been almost a year

since I've been in contact

with any of my old friends.

I've been way too busy.

Yeah, right, who am I kidding?

[LUCY] I needed to give

everyone some space, is all.

They can't follow their own

paths with me tagging along.

That's not true either.

This sucks.

[LUCY] I was just too

scared to face them.

I miss Fairy Tail!

[NEIGHBOR A] Shut up, will ya?!

I'm trying to sleep!

Jeez, how embarrassing.

[LUCY]

The truth be told,

the main reason I became

a reporter in the first place

was to gather all the

information I could find.

From verified eyewitness

accounts to gossip.

All of it.

[LUCY] This whole year

has been one long search.

Still no solid leads

on Natsu and Happy.

It's like they just disappeared.

All I can think about

is finding them.

So we can be a family again.

[crying]

[LUCY]

But it's never gonna happen.

[LUCY] It's over, Lucy.

Fairy Tail's done.

Well. Okay.

It's time to get movin'!

[PLUE gibbers]

[LUCY]

Back to work.

[CROWD cheering]

[CHAPATI] Here it is folks,

the day of reckoning!

Who will take home

the coveted title

of "Fiore's Mightiest Guild"?

Let's find out!

I've got my predictions.

And how about you, sir?

I can't quite say.

Surely our old friend Mato

can provide some insight!

[MATO]

I'll try, punkin!

[CHAPATI]

Well, anyone who's been watching

could've seen this one coming.

Chrisark and Dullahan Head

have powered their way

into the finals!

Yo-ho!

[CHAPATI] They've got a

challenge on their hands

from the underdogs of

the Scarmiglione guild,

who have pulled off

one miraculous comeback

after another!

This year's games have

been a little different.

Since it's a single

elimination tournament,

both of these guilds

have remained undefeated

up to this very point, but

that's about to change for one!

Last round! It's on! So cool!

This has "feature story"

written all over it!

Maybe a special issue?

You there?

Huh? Say what?

I kinda zoned out.

It's cool. But it's showtime!

The final battle!

Oh yeah, it's gonna

be a blowout.

Have you been zoning

out this whole time?

Scarmiglione are like the kings

of "come from behind" victories.

There's so much drama.

Can they do it again?

Maybe. I think they might!

[LUCY]

Yup, that's exactly my point.

Chrisark is definitely tough.

It's true.

But according to everything

I've seen from them.

Scarmiglione's members have

gotta be tougher by a mile.

[JASON]

Huh?

I think every single one of them

has twice the magic power

that ol' Chrisark does.

They've just been hiding it.

Say what? That's crazy talk!

Why in the heck would

they wanna do that?

So they could gin up the odds

with all the bookies, obviously.

[JASON]

What?

Scarmiglion's gonna win.

There's no doubt about it.

Cool!

[CROWD cheering]

What an upset! I'm speechless!

Who'da thunk it? Not I.

[MATO]

Ooh, my.

[CHAPATI] Overcoming

incredible -to- odds,

Scarmiglione takes home the gold

in this year's

Grand Magic Games!

Worked like a charm.

[CHAPATI]

That's right, folks!

The only guild worthy of the

title "Fiore's Mightiest"

is Scarmiglione!

I can smell the money.

[JASON laughs]

You nailed it, Lucy.

They're best in the land.

I definitely never said that.

They may have won the games

this year, but still...

--Who's that?

--I have no idea.

[BOTH gasp]

Hold on a minute.

Somebody's entering the arena.

Who is it?

--[YAJIMA] Hm?

--[MATO] Huh?

[CHAPATI gasps]

[CHAPATI]

Ladies and gentlemen,

a mysterious individual has

walked onto the b*ttlefield.

Who in the hell are you?

What's going on?

Something's weird.

So much magic power.

Everyone needs to

get out of here!

[SCARMIGLIONE B]

You've got guts friend,

but you're short on brains.

[SCARMIGLIONE C]

Wait, is this the "man in black"

people have been talking about?

[SCARMIGLIONE D]

Nah, there's no way.

So you clowns think you're

Fiore's greatest guild, do ya?

Huh?

All right, man, who are ya?

Who me?

[NATSU]

I'm a challenger!

[ALL screaming]

He unleashed a brutal att*ck!

We need to find some wizards

who can fight him off!

[WOMAN A]

This is horrible!

[MAN A]

t's so hot!

[MAN B]

Oww!

Hold on to your horses.

And your clothing.

The whole stadium is

melting like butter!

[gasping]

[LUCY]

This heat is frikkin' insane!

[chuckles]

This heat. Fire.

[gasps]

Natsu?

[JASON]

Cool!

It's Natsu Dragneel!

Holy smokes!

[MATO]

Punkin!

[HAPPY] Hey! It's been

a while. How ya doin'?

Happy!

You're back?

Yeah, well, Natsu

insisted on challenging

whoever won this year's

Grand Magic Games,

so here we are, I guess.

[LUCY] They don't seem to be

putting up much of a fight.

Whoever wants a piece,

come and get some!

[WIZARDS yelling]

[NATSU]

Now we're talkin'!

[WIZARDS screaming]

[BOTH gasp]

[WIZARD A]

Take him down!

[WIZARDS yelling]

[chuckles]

[NATSU]

I'm all fired up now!

[WIZARDS gasping]

[WIZARD A]

The place is burning up!

[WIZARD B]

I feel like I'm on fire!

No! He's a monster!

[WIZARD E]

Run!

He's crazy.

But to his credit, he knows

how to make an entrance.

Hey! Good to see ya, Lucy!

How's it goin'?

[LUCY] At that moment,

I heard a voice inside my head.

Pretty good.

[LUCY] It said that Fairy Tail

is still alive and kickin'!

[HAPPY] Whoa, can you believe

we ran into Lucy like that?

[NATSU]

Has it really been a whole year?

[HAPPY] I gotta say, I'm in

shock Fairy Tail disbanded.

That's seriously messed up.

[NATSU] I can't imagine how

hard it must've been on Lucy.

[HAPPY]

I know.

Do ya think there's anything

we can do about it?

[NATSU]

Hmm.

I've got a great idea

that's sure to work!

[HAPPY]

I can always count on you!

[NATSU]

Aw, yeah! I'm fired up now!

[NATSU, HAPPY]

Next Time: "Message of Flame."

[NATSU]

Let's go, Happy!

Time to start a

brand new adventure!

[HAPPY]

Aye, sir!