Chapter 2 Start

Team Natsu had met the Magic Council in the designated location and handed over the members of Black Wings, but decided not to mention that one of them had avoided capture. At this this time Team Natsu had returned to Magnolia by train, leaving Natsu useless thanks to his motion sickness and Erza had to help get him off the train. After a while Natsu had recovered enough to start walking again and they started back to Fairy Tail.

"Are you sure not saying anything about that Zuma guy was the right choice?" Gray asked Erza.

"No." She answered "but we had no need to tell them. He was one mage and if he starts causing trouble someone will capture him."

"I still think we should have chased after him!" Natsu shouted.

"Aye, sir!" Happy said, showing his agreement.

"For once I have to agree with you Natsu." Gray said "He couldn't have fought against all of us himself."

"Yeah but you need to remember we had other mages to turn in, if they had regained consciousness we would have had to fight them all over again." Lucy pointed out.

The conversation continued as Wendy stayed near the back of the group, staying silent, until her exceed spoke.

"Why are you so quiet Wendy? You've hardly said a word since we left the graveyard."

"That mage...he knew my name..."

"You're still hung up over that? He was messing with you, I bet he's done research on Fairy Tail and that's how he knew."

"It's not just that...he knows my last name too... He called me by both my names for a reason."

"You worry too much. Just let it go and if we're lucky we will never see him again."

"I guess you're right..." She said, still unconvinced. They arrived at the Fairy Tail building and walked in and were instantly greeted by Mirajane.

"Welcome back. How did your mission go?"

"It was a success." Erza replied "For the most part anyway. One of the mages eluded capture."

"Do you think they will turn out to be a problem?" She asked.

"I'm not sure. He made it clear that we would see him again."

"Well I'm sure Team Natsu will be able to handle him easily if he decides to cause you trouble."

"Let's hope so."

-A Few Days Later-

Not much happened for the next few days. Most was quiet and no exciting jobs came up, until Makarov called Erza to the front counter.

"They're at it again." he told her.

"Black Wings?"

"Exactly. Have you heard of The City of Wishes?"

"You mean the city that, despite it's name, has the highest crime rate in all of Fiore?"

"That's the one. They have taken all the citizens hostage, and they are running the city now." Makarov slid a piece of paper in front of Erza, and she noticed the Magic Council Emblem on it.

"Another mission directly from the Magic Council?"

"Yes. It seems they are trusting Fairy Tail with missions pertaining to battling, hopefully Natsu can control himself."

"I'll be sure to warn him. Should we head out immediately?"

"That would be best."

Erza walked over to the table where the rest of Team Natsu was "We have a new mission. We have to go and free the City Of Wishes from Black Wings' control."

"Them again?" Gray muttered "They don't seem to like waiting."

"Do you think we will met Zuma again?" Wendy asked, suddenly attentive.

"Most likely." Erza told her "He made it clear that we would see him again, and what better way to meet us then to be part of one of his guild's plans. If he shows himself we will capture him this time."

"He won't escape this time!" Natsu shouted


They had arrived at the City Of Wishes without the use of any transportation, to Natsu's silent pleasure, and as they walked in they expected to be attacked, yet nothing happened.

"Be careful." Erza warned "Black Wings aren't the only ones we have to look in this city."

"Do you think people in this town would be stupid enough to mess with Fairy Tail Wizards?" Gray asked smugly.

"I'm sure if Black Wings ordered them to they would. Black Wings is under control of this city, and knowing a Dark Guild anyone that doesn't do as they are told will be sentenced to death."

"T-they're really that bad?" Wendy asked, nervously.

"Dark Guilds don't have limits. They will do what they want whenever they want unless someone stops them." Lucy said "And Fairy Tail will be the ones to stop them here." She finished with a smile.

"Unless someone already stopped them." Carla said "It seems people are a little to happy here to be controlled by a Dark Guild." As she said that the others looked around and saw people were smiling, booth owners were talking happily to customers and for once in this city there seemed to be no pickpockets or any type of criminal activity going on.

"Something's wrong here..." Gray muttered.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Erza muttered.

Natsu suddenly stopped "I smell something." He sniffed the air again "It smells like burnt flesh..."

"What?" Erza asked, sounding quite confused

"I smell it to!" Wendy said, sniffing the air as well.

"Follow me!" Natsu said as he started to run through the city, not caring if he knocked anyone down or broke anything. After a few minutes, turning down alleys, and turning corners they came upon the source of the smell. In the middle of a, wrecked plaza, there were two groups of 5 people tied together beside the other group and all alive, all wearing damaged black cloaks on their backs, but the skin that was exposed was red, and some burnt badly. Citizens were around throwing stones, but as soon as Fairy Tail came into the plaza they stopped.

"Are they-?" Lucy started before getting cut off.

"Yes." She said pointing to one of the tied woman's arm, a symbol depicting a pair of black crow wings "They are members of Black Wings." Erza told them.

"That means someone did take them down, but who?" Gray asked no one in particular.

Wendy moved closer to the tied criminals and looked at them "None of them are Zuma..." She muttered to herself, but Carla overheard, being right beside her.

"Are you still convinced that he knows your name for some different reason?"

"Y-yes..." she muttered and before Carla could respond Erza repeated what Wendy said, since she didn't hear her.

"None of them are Zuma." She told the others "Maybe he didn't come this time."

"Or he escaped and the ones that took these ones down went after him."

Erza shook her head "No. If it was a group of people at least one would be defending them and if it was only one person, they wouldn't have given chase."

"What I want to know is who the hell took them down before us!?" Natsu shouted, angrily.

"Maybe some of the citizens saw what happened." Wendy offered, looking around at the people around them.

"Maybe." Erza said walking to the nearest one, a tall, man of average build "Did you see who did this?"

He shook his head "I saw them doing patrols as usual and suddenly fighting just broke out. Magic was flying around so I hid..."

"Do you think anyone else saw?" She asked.

"No. Because as soon as magic starts flying around, everyone in this city usually avoids it and gets away as fast as possible. They don't want to face magic with none of their own." He answered before hastily taking his leave.

"It doesn't seem like we are going to find any answers from them." Erza told the others returning to the group.

"So do we just get the magic Council to come here and take them away?" Lucy asked.

"There's no other way, I just wish we knew who did this."

"The one that did this may be right in front of you." A voice said, causing the Fairy Tail mages to look around, but most of the citizens had left, but they noticed one specificity. A black cloaked man, leaning against one of the destroyed building, seemingly looking at them, but they couldn't tell since the cloak of the hood hid his face. Erza walked over to him, and the man stopped leaning against the wall, and stood straight.

"Did you say something?" She asked, in an accusing tone.

"And if I did?" The man asked.

"What was it that you said?" She demanded.

"The one that defeated this group of the Black Wings may be right in front of you." he answered.

"Are you saying that you defeated them by yourself?"

"Am I? Decide that on your own." He said as he took a step to Erza's right. Erza paused for a moment before swinging her sword and the man dodged, but Erza had hit her target, the hood. The hood fell to the ground and the man's dark blue hair was revealed.

"You caught on quickly Erza. What made you so sure of who I was?" Zuma said turning to her.

"You had on a black cloak like they all did and it doesn't do much to mask your voice."

"I guess that's true." He replied as he took a look at the others "so what do you intend to do now that I am revealed to you all again?"

"We are going to capture you." Erza said "We failed last time, but this time it is 5 vs 1."

"Arrest me for what? I assisted in the capture of your targets, did I not?"

"You assisted in the capture of your fellow guild mates, Zuma."

"That's not my name. That's what the others took to calling me when I joined and refused to tell them my true name."

"Why would you refuse to tell them your name?" Lucy asked.

"I have my reasons, yet I will reveal my true name now. It is Axel."

"Axel..." Wendy muttered.

"Does that name mean something to you Wendy?" Lucy asked noticing her repeating.

"No...it just sounds somewhat familiar."

"No matter your name, you are still accused of being a member of Black Wings."

Axel smiled and threw his cloak off, revealing that he was bare chested under it "Do you see their insignia on me?"

"That proves nothing." Erza said.

"Do you want me to strip down for you?" He asked in a mocking tone before glancing at Gray, who was now in only his boxers "Looks like your team mate beat me to it anyway."

Erza ignored the comment about Gray "You may not have the insignia on your body and you may have captured some, but you still helped them in their plans at the beginning. You still have to pay for your crimes."

"And you decide to face me 5 vs 1? I think I can handle it." He answered calmly.

"You are way to confident." Gray said.

"This is going to be fun!" Natsu smiled, fists igniting."

"Are you sure you won't just come quietly?" Wendy asked, in a lower voice.

He answered Wendy "I am not going to be captured. Erza, if you 5 beat me, I will not put up a fight, however if I win, you will stop trying to capture me."

"If you somehow manage to beat us 5 in a fight, then we will not chase after you."

"I see. That's the best I'm getting from you. We could up the stakes a little." He smiled.

"This is not a negotiation." Lucy pointed out.

"But I have no reason to talk if I am captured. Erza, how about you pick one of you 5 to fight me, if I win you stop trying to capture me at all. If you win I will not resist and I will tell you all of the information I know of the Black Wings."

"And how you knew my name?" Wendy suddenly shouted out.

"And that if the deal is accepted and I am defeated." Axel responded.

"That deal is a little risky." Erza said "But then again you are not part of our mission this time and if we manage to beat you we get information that can be used to cripple Black Wings..." Erza said thinking.

"Hurry up and make your decision." He said waiting.

"Fine. One of us will fight you."

"Who?"

"Let me pummel this jerk!" Natsu shouted instantly.

"We need to win Natsu, and try not destroy the whole city!" Gray shouted. Lucy didn't volunteer after her encounter with him.

"Erza..." Wendy started "Let me do it."

Erza looked at Wendy surprised "You want to fight him? Wendy...are you sure?"

"Yes. I'm the one that has more at stake then anyone since I can figure out if there is anything behind how he found my name."

"If you really want to Wendy, then go ahead, just be careful."

"Right!" Wendy stepped forward and Natsu and Gray stopped fighting as she did "I'll fight you."
The man looked at her for a moment before laughing sightly "You are going to fight me? You are a supportive type from what I have seen so far. Erza, you sure she's your choice?"

"She wanted to fight you, and I believe she can take you down."

"Wendy, this is insane!" Carla said.

"I have to do this."

"All right then." Axel said "Looks like it is settled then."


Wendy and Axel stood facing each other, neither one making the first move. Axel decided to break the silence.

"So you wanted to fight me and now not making a move? Is the Sky Dragon Slayer suddenly scared?"

Wendy frowned at the comment then pulled her head back "Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy shouted shooting a tornado like blast at him. Axel seemed taken back, and he dived to the ground, watching the blast as it hit on of the already damaged buildings, destroying it further.

"Well...that's a surprise." Axel said rising to his feet "Sky Dragon Slayer Magic. This battle may be truth." He said as his green energy surrounded hands "But lets see if it is a match for my magic." He moved both hands to his and held them both away from the other, fingertips touching, as his energy built up in between them, and after a moment he moved his hands to his front and opened his hands by removing the fingertips from each other "Plasma Wave!" a wide wave shot from his hands, leaving Wendy no way to dodge and it hit her, knocking her off her feet and causing a bit of damage.

"Are you all right?" Erza called to Wendy.

"I'm fine..." She said getting up.

"Seems you can't even face off against my Plasma magic, Wendy Marvell."

Wendy jumped into the air and rose her arms up as the wind around started to pick up "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" She brought her arms down, creating a whirlwind from them sending it attack her surroundings. The wind tore the ground apart and any buildings nearby. The wind died down and Axel had cuts across his body, but not deep enough to draw blood.

He looked behind him and seemed slightly surprised "Dragon Slayer magic is destructive." He turned back to Wendy "So much power in such a young girl...I may have to get serious." Axel said as his Plasma started building up in his palm.

"I'm not giving you the chance to attack!" Wendy said pulling her head back again "Sky Dragon's Roar!" She shot the tornado like blast at him again. Axel rose his free hand and spread the fingers.

"Plasma Shield." The plasma spread out around him and as the roar hit the shield, it held and the roar split and shot in multiple directions, but was unable to break through the shield. As her roar subsides Axel made the shield disappear as well and in his other hand he now held a grenade, the same color as his plasma "Time to end this fight." He lobbed the grenade and it hit Wendy in the stomach, exploding on impact, into a large sphere of cracking plasma. As the plasma faded, Wendy was seen, on the ground and knocked out.

"Sorry." Axel muttered to himself as it disappeared.

Team Natsu instantly ran over to see if she was okay, but no wounds were visible on her body.

"My Plasma Magic causes no outside damage...unless I used full power into that attack. She merely passed out from the pain. Either way the battle ends here and I will now take my leave."

"You bastard!" Natsu shouted, running at him, his fists aflame.

"Maybe you forgot the terms of our deal." He said as he grabbed Natsu's flaming fist, burning himself in the process "But the deal was if I won, I was free to go." He placed two of his fingers of his other hand on Natsu's forehead "Plasma Injection." A quick flash of plasma covered Axel's hand and then Natsu fell, clutching his forehead and rolling on the ground in pain.

Axel looked over at the three around Wendy "We shall meet again soon."

"You're a monster..." Lucy muttered.

"Because I fought for my freedom? Maybe you will realize that, not that it matters since you won't be trying to capture me again. So until we meet again, farewell." He said as he disappeared in a flash of plasma.


The Magic Council was alerted to 'Fairy Tail's' success and came and took the members of Black Wings away. Wendy still had not awoken and Natsu had only recently been released from the pain that consumed him. Erza lifted Wendy's limp body up and they started their walk back to Magnolia.

"I can't believe he was that heartless towards Wendy...she's just a young girl..." Lucy said.

"He's going to regret what he did." Natsu said gritting his teeth "We may have made a deal to not capture him, but that doesn't mean we can't pummel him!"

"Is Wendy going to be okay?" Carla asked Erza.

"It seems so. Her breathing is stable, no wounds or visible damage and Axel said she would be fine." Erza responded

"Can you really trust anything that guy says?"

"It's all we have to go on for now. We have to trust him with what he said."

"Guess we don't have any other choice..." Carla admitted.

Once they got to the gates of Magnolia, Wendy groaned and slowly opened her eyes.

"W-what happened...?" She asked

"Axel beat you and took off. We're back in Magnolia now." Erza told her, putting her down.

"I'm sorry...I shouldn't have been the one to fight him...because of me we lost important information..."

"Don't worry about that." Lucy told her.

"Yeah, as long as you are okay it's fine." Gray reassured her.

"Still, I'm sorry." She told them as they started to walk to Fairy Tail. They got to Fairy Tail with no problems, until they reached for the door.

"Hello again." Natsu was the first to turn to the voice, to see Axel, wearing a black short sleeve shirt and black pants.

"How dare you show yourself here!" Gray said, reacting first, readying his magic and Natsu came up beside him, his fists aflame again.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Wendy." He said, ignoring the two in front of him "Sorry about how rough I was in the fight. I should held back a little with that last attack."

"I-It's okay..." Axel nodded, smiling slightly.

"You know if you are seen here, and the guild finds out who you are, there's almost no chance you would escape." Erza said.

"Makarov knows who I am, along with the other Fairy Tail mages. They also know what I did to Wendy and Natsu and how I betrayed Black Wings."

"And he decided not to turn you into the Magic Council?"

Axel smirked "Nope, but he did do something that I asked of him."

Natsu's eyes narrowed "What did Gramps do for you?"

"I asked 2 favors of him. One, not to mention to the Magic Council, or anyone about my previous siding with the Black Wings, and second..." Axel pulled his left sleeve up, revealing a symbol on his shoulder, a blue Fairy Tail mark "To become a member of Fairy Tail!"

Chapter 2 End