Elfman looked uneasy. "But the rules say your partner must be a member of our guild!"
Loke, in response, pulled down the collar of his shirt to reveal the Fairy Tail emblem on his shoulder blade. "I'm still a Fairy Tail wizard. For the dignity of the guild, I'll help make Gray an S-Class mage."
Gray gave a trusting nod. "I'm counting on you."
Loke winked. "Leave it to me."
Lucy watched her Celestial Spirit and Gray forming this confident partnership. "When did those two even become so close?" she murmured, slightly miffed.
Gray turned to Juvia, who was pouting miserably. "That means you'll have to fight me seriously, Juvia. I'm hoping for a heated match."
"'Heated'…?!" Juvia immediately sank into an intense fantasy involving Gray, causing Carla to roll her eyes. "Miss Juvia, please snap out of it…"
Lisanna tapped Juvia's shoulder. "In that case, let me be your partner."
"Wha—?!" Elfman jerked up, startled. "Lisanna, you're teaming with Juvia?! But what about—"
Lisanna smiled sweetly. "We got along in Edolas, and I think this Juvia's just as sweet. You'll be fine, Elf-niichan."
"Oh? If I'm not your partner, then who is?!" Elfman grumbled.
Lisanna pointed across the guild. Evergreen perched at the bar, sipping an expensive wine while glaring in Elfman's direction. "Looks like someone else already set her eyes on you."
"E-Evergreen…!" Elfman shuddered. He remembered losing to her during the Harvest Festival. She gave him the chills, but it was painfully obvious she was also miffed that Freed had chosen Bickslow over her. Her stare now radiated something between challenge and frustration.
Elsewhere, Levy sat chatting with her longtime teammates, Jet and Droy of Shadow Gear. They were bursting with excitement.
"Levy got picked!" Jet cheered. "You're gonna be S-Class, Levy!"
"Our Levy, an S-Class wizard!" Droy added.
Then Droy paused. "So, I'll be your partner, yeah?"
"Like hell you will!" Jet countered instantly. "I'm faster than you in a pinch!"
"Oh, sure, you can run—but my magic's better for fighting!"
"Don't give me that nonsense—you just want to impress Levy!"
"Who says I—?!"
While those two bickered, Levy watched in exasperation, already wincing at the headache. Suddenly, someone's shadow fell across them.
"If you really want to become S-Class, let me help you."
Levy turned in surprise. "Gajeel?!"
He loomed behind her, arms folded, face set in its usual grouchy scowl. Jet and Droy stared, startled. In the past, Gajeel had been the Phantom Lord wizard who wreaked havoc on Fairy Tail. Though relations had eased a bit since, neither Jet nor Droy had expected him to volunteer as Levy's partner.
"Tch. Juvia ran off without me to find her own partner, and Natsu's doin' his own thing," Gajeel muttered, sounding annoyed. "If I can't get into this year's exam, then none of you guys are gettin' past me, either. I'll knock every one of you out—"
Levy, feeling suddenly very small, gulped. "But I—I'm not that strong. If I slow you down, we'll just lose fast…"
Gajeel scowled, grabbing her collar and lifting her so her feet dangled. "Quit whining before we even start."
"Hey! Put me down!" Levy squeaked, flailing.
"We'll make you stronger," Gajeel said decisively, his gaze intense enough to stop Levy's protests.
Jet and Droy slumped in defeat. They knew Gajeel was definitely S-Class-level in power, so they couldn't argue. Off to the side, Pantherlily gave a small nod, feeling a bit of relief that Gajeel was finally starting to forge real connections.
…
Later that evening, snow began drifting over Magnolia, a light dusting turning rooftops white. Wendy made her way back to the guild's dorm with Carla in her arms.
"You've been quiet all day," Wendy noted, glancing down. "Something wrong, Carla?"
Carla frowned. "Just an ominous feeling about this exam. Wendy, promise me you won't participate—no matter what happens."
"But…nobody's asked me to partner up," Wendy admitted, a bit deflated. "So I guess I'm not worried."
All at once, a voice called softly, "Good evening, Wendy."
She turned to see a figure in the dark—Mest, one of the eight competitors, someone she barely knew. "Oh…you're Mest, right? Mystogan's—student?"
…
Meanwhile, in Natsu and Happy's little shack, Happy yelled from the doorway, "Natsu! Dinner's ready!"
Natsu stood outside, gazing up at the falling snow. "Finally… It's here. My chance to become S-Class!"
…
Lucy walked down the lamplit street, rubbing her arms for warmth. "Snow in Magnolia, huh? How pretty— Wait, it's so cold…"
As she neared her home, she noticed a lone figure sitting slumped in the narrow alley beside it: Cana, surrounded by empty wine bottles.
"Cana! Don't just pass out in some alley like this! Come on—get up!"
…
From a window in Fairy Hills, the guild's dormitory, Su Yan watched the silent snowfall. He murmured quietly to himself, "At last… the big day's almost here."