"Okay, what's going on here?!" Natsu demanded, sitting on the bed.

Both Hunter and Mrs.Raymond stood in front of them - dressed, now- turning a shade of scarlet that would put even Erza's hair to shame.

"Mrs. Raym- ah, it's weird to call you that now, what was your name again? Valerie, yes, Valerie. What do you think you're doing, being...close with the guild who took over your town?" Natsu asked.

Valerie shook her head, indignant.

"It's not like tha-" She began.

"Were you forced to be with him to save your children?" Lucy asked.

"No, I-"

"You were cheating on your husband with this dude, of all people?!" Natsu looked annoyed.

"Well, I-"

"Really, ma'am, I did not expect this from you," Erza said.

Valerie opened her mouth to speak, but was interrupted when a massive body of sexiness (a.k.a me) burst in through the door.

"Guys, the Mayor's wife- oh..." I said, looking around. "You found her, eh?"

"Oh, would you let me finish?!" Valerie growled, and everyone shut up. She was...scary.

She took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Hunter and I...this has been going on for about three years, now. We love each other, but I can't go off with him, because even though I've fallen out of love for my husband, I care for him, and his reputation. The Mayor's wife can't elope, can she?"

She buried her head in her hands.

"I was going to start a guild anyway," Hunter said, "so we planned to take a few hostages and demand for the mines. We knew Cain would never give in, and the last part of the plan was to take away Val as a hostage. Then we'd tell people that she'd been killed,remove the guild from the town, and run away. We never thought he'd call to other guilds for help."

"You're with a man who wants to form a dark guild?" Lucy asked Valerie.

"No! You see, Shadow Claw isn't a dark guild. We're just waiting for our affiliation to the Council. Until then we're legally a 'dark' guild. We'll be light soon enough," Hunter said, smiling.

Natsu groaned. "This is so lame. But you held kids as hostages. Even your own kids, Mrs. Richmond."

"It's Raymond. And we took good care of all the children. Well, we tried to. We wiped their memories of me coming to see them, this morning."

Erza stared at them, clearly disgusted. "For love, or not, what you did was illegal. I have to inform the Council, and the Mayor about this. This might mean that your guild won't be official."

Hunter looked heartbroken and angry all at once. Calming himself, he looked at Erza.

"Please, let us be. This has been my dream from the very beginning. And even if you have to inform the Council, please don't tell anyone about Val. Can't you turn a blind eye at least once? What about Jellal- you wouldn't rat him out, would you?"

Her eyes widened. "How do y-"

"I met him about three months ago. We became friends, and he helped me build our guild, and find members, and all. He keeps pictures of you, you know."

Erza blushed, and then scoffed. "His fiance isn't gonna like that."

Hunter chuckled. "He told me that, too."

"He has a fiance?!" Natsu yelped. Both Erza and Hunter burst out laughing.

"Fine, I won't tell anyone, but clear out immediately. And come up with a good excuse to convince the Mayor. Also, look beat up."

"I can help you with that," Natsu said, grinning. Lucy rolled her eyes.

"I think I'll pass."

_______________________________________________________________

The crowd gathered in the middle of the hall. A very battered Hunter stood next to Mr.Raymond, who looked proud. All of the other guild members stood behind them- most of them with bandages, and one or two with frozen moustaches.

"My people, it is with utmost pride that I tell you that the dark guild, which took over our town, has been defeated."

The crowd cheered.

"I'd like to thank the Fairy Tail guild members for helping us. Please come forward, Fairy Tail," Mr. Raymond said.

All five of us stepped forward, and the people cheered even louder. I caught Mrs. Raymond's eye, and she grinned.

"Shadow Claw was just about to leave, weren't they?" The Mayor looked at Hunter, smirking.

They all bowed their heads in shame, and walked towards the main door in a single file. The crowd parted for them, and they booed at the men. Hunter, who was last, looked back when he reached the door, and smiled at Erza. She gave a small nod, and he walked off into the night, the door closing behind him.

The people erupted, and Mr.Raymond beamed at them.

"Well, we must show the wizards who helped us, gratitude the Greenthorne way, shouldn't we?" Someone in the crowd whistled.

"This was supposed to be a party, wasn't it? How about we show them how to really celebrate?" He said, grinning.

The crowd yelled in approval. "Tonight is our night, people! Enjoy!"

We were swept into the crowd, and we found ourselves shaking dozens of hands. People thanked us, I got hugged a few times, and they weren't the silent, serious folks from before.

I caught a glimpse of Natsu at a food table, wolfing down spaghetti.

Suddenly, music blasted out of nowhere, and there was cheering. Startled, I walked towards the tables serving drinks, and was sipping on one, when a girl walked up to me. She twirled her hair between her fingers, and talked, not taking her eyes off me.

"Um, I have a girlfriend," I said, and excused myself.

Erza was surrounded by little children, who seemed to love her requips. She summoned a little wooden sword, and gave it to one of the kids standing around her, and they stared at her, wide-eyed.

"That's so cool!" One of them yelled.

She saw me looking at her and shrugged.

"I love kids," She mouthed, and turned her attention back to them.

_______________________________________________________________

Natsu stared at Lucy. She looked back at him, her eyes determined.

"Please, I can hold my drinks way better than you do," He said, scoffing.

"The spirit is strong, but the stomach weak." She smirked. The people who'd gathered around them cheered.

"Fine, then, I challenge you. The one who holds their alcohol the longest without puking or taking a leak wins!" He crossed his arms over his chest.

"This is pointless because I'm gonna win anyways, but I accept."

The small crowd around them roared, and immediately, a table and two seats were produced. By the looks of it, they were from the Mayor's office, because Natsu sat on a very important looking wheelie-chair, while Lucy sat on what seemed like a smaller side-table. The men that surrounded them took sides, most of them behind Natsu.

As someone ran to get the drinks, he looked at Lucy, who was talking to a girl on her side. This isn't like her at all.

She seemed a little...tipsy. Very giggly, too

"Luce, are you drunk?"

"I have three tequila-shot headstart," She said, winking. He shook his head.

Glasses appeared on the table - beer, martinis, cocktails. Lucy eyed them, feeling a little sceptical. She looked up to see Natsu looking at her, so she smirked. She didn't know why, but she wanted to win this thing. She wanted Natsu to lose to her.

Happy floated above them, loving everything that was going on.

"Are both teams ready?" He yelled.

"Yeah!" Natsu said.

"Bring it on, flame-brain."

"Ready, set, GO!" Happy squeaked.

Both Lucy and Natsu scrambled for the glasses. Pushing Natsu's hand out of the way, she reached for a big mug of beer and began gulping it down. Natsu drank his Martini in a single gulp, and reached for his second drink.

Lucy was halfway through her third glass already.

"Chug, chug, chug, chug," The people chanted.

The glasses emptied, and were immediately replaced. Lucy was started to feel funny, but she wasn't going to lose.

Natsu laughed at her.

"Giving up, Luce?"

"You wish, Dragneel!" She downed another one. Her throat burned. I'm not gonna keep this up for much longer.

And then, a lightbulb. She flashed him a smile.

Natsu paused, mid-drink. He knew that smile. She was up to something. He was feeling a little giddy, but he wasn't there yet.

Under the table, Lucy raised her leg. Placing the point of her heel on the seat of chair, between Natsu's legs, she leaned forward for another glass. Feeling the pressure on the cushion, Natsu looked down. He saw her foot, and he stared at Lucy.

Giving him the sweetest smile she could, she pushed the chair with all her might. It rolled away with Natsu in it, his eyes wide open in disbelief. And then, his stomach turning, he retched.

Climbing up on the table, Lucy raised her fourteenth glass, while the people on her side cheered.

"I win, Dragon Boy."

_______________________________________________________________

Boring chapter, I know. I'll do better next time, I promise. I should sleep now. Also there might be adult stuff in the next chapter wheeeeeeeeeee.
~T.