A/N: Hello everyone! How's it hangin' since the last cliffhanger? Yeah, I know. I'm evil. New chapter is FINALLY up! I blame writer's block.
Just had to put this in. You remember this quote from episode 60(I think...?)?
"An octopus of the forest is all KINDS of wrong." ~Motion Sick Natsu
Just remembered this quote and it made me laugh XD
Thank you to all the people who have reviewed my work. You're support means a lot to me. Fanfiction net is actually the first place I've ever let people outside of my friends, family, and teachers see my writing and that it's being so well received so far is heartwarming to me :)
Enjoy the chapter :)
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Natsu's POV:
This guy is REALLY annoying. Every time he tried to hit him, his attacks veer off corse. Natsu almost hit Gray a couple of times. Happy was doing his best to keep him in the air because this thing just HAD to start moving. Stupid motion sickness. Sometimes being a half-dragon really bites. Natsu wasn't the only one having trouble with Midnight. He kept twisting Gray's ice and Erza's swords.
Natsu always remembered Midnight was a pain in the butt. Even when he was just 11, he was a talented Reflector mage. Every time they had exchanged blows, Natsu could never land a hit on Midnight, but Midnight could almost always land a hit on him. This infuriated the half-Fire dragon. He hated losing and he hated that smug smirk Midnight always flashed when he twisted Natsu's roar around him and most of all, Natsu hated the audacity the dark mage had to sleep during their battles.
In fact he was doing it right now. Well, he was fighting them with his eyes closed, but in a way Midnight was sleeping while they threw everything they had at him, only to either have it reflected around him, back at them, or at each other.
"Freaking show off." Natsu muttered bitterly, "GET BACK HERE YOU SLEEPING B****** AND LET ME PUNCH YOU!"
Finally the Reflector mage opened his eyes and glanced mockingly at Natsu.
"Oh? You, hit me? You never once managed to land a single blow on me every time we fought."
Natsu clenched his fists angrily, his scales flashed in response. His rage and frustration boiling under his skin. He was so busy glaring daggers at Midnight too notice that his clothes were starting to twist around Happy.
"Natsu! You're clothes are attacking me!" the blue cat exclaimed.
His hand locked around the cloth and tore it free from Midnight's control and Happy flew at him in a controlled dive. Until it became uncontrolled and they dropped like a couple of stones, tangled in their own clothes. Natsu cursed angrily and tried to wiggle his arms out, while biting back his motion sickness at the same time.
Midnight laughed in amusement at the pinkette's predicament, until a certain Titania punched him hard from behind, knocking him off his flying carpet and faceplanting into the ground. Gray snorted.
"Finally landed a blow. Nice one Erza."
The redhaired Re-quip mage towered ominously over Midnight, glaring down at him with a furiousiness that would put even an angry Igneel to shame.
"Your skill is impressive, but your magic has two main weaknesses."
Happy and Natsu had gotten themselves untangled with Midnight's hold over their clothing broken and in the air again, but even with his motion sickness slowing his thoughts, Natsu still heard Erza's words loud and clear. And he couldn't believe it. He knew Erza was good, but had she really found not just one but two kinks in Midnight's seemingly invincible armor?
Before he could ask the burning questions an ominous laugh echoed through the ruined streets from behind him. Natsu turned midair to come face to face with Brain, who was standing on top of a building a few blocks away, looking even more smug than normal.
"Natsu Dragneel. It's been so long since we last spoke face to face. It's been what? 5 years?"
"Brain. What the heck are you doing?" Natsu growled.
"I'm here to make a deal." he smirked, maniacally.
Natsu's blood ran cold. "What deal?"
Brain extended his free hand, a shadowy light swirling around it for a moment before a portal opened. The purple and green vortex swirled hypnotically until a human sized figure toppled through it. A human with blonde hair.
"LUCY!"
The master of the Oracion Seis held the blonde Celestial Spirit Mage by her wrist over the edge of the building. She looked almost dead. Her eyes were closed and her skin was a ghostly pale. The only sign the blonde was even alive was the gentle rise and fall of her chest.
"What did you do to her!?" he bellowed angrily.
"Natsu, get a hold of yourself. He's just trying to make you angry." Happy warned.
Well it was certainly working. Natsu wasn't sure why, but the thought that Lucy was hurt or in danger made his blood boil. Maybe it's because she's his first true friend since Igneel left him. The first person who didn't think he was a freak or a weapon.
"My deal is this. Halt your attack on Nirvana and I will let the girl live."
"And if I don't agree?"
Brain smiled sadistically. "Then she dies."
He loosened his grip on her wrist ever-so-slightly and Lucy jerked downwards, following the irresistible pull of gravity. If Natsu wasn't hovering in midair he would have pounced at Brain and ripped Lucy away from him. His face must have contorted into an animalistic snarl because Brain flashed a victorious smirk.
"It's your choice Natsu. Stop Nirvana, or save your friend."
Natsu clutched his fist so hard that blood was trickling from the crescent shaped cuts in the flesh of his hands. How was he going to get himself out of this one? But why did Brain go after Lucy?
Natsu's eyes widened a hair. When Lucy had saved him from Cobra, Brain appeared and tried to take her. And Natsu snapped. He'd gotten angry plenty of times, but this was a different kind of anger. A kind of anger that Natsu didn't quite have a name for.
Brain must have pieced together that Lucy was a person of significance to him and was using that to his advantage.
"Natsu! What the heck are you doing? We could use a hand here!" Gray shouted below him.
"Tell them that I'm here and your friend's life will come to a painful end." Brain threatened.
Natsu gritted his teeth. "I think I see something! It could be a way to stop Nirvana. You got things handled here?"
"I just said we could use a hand, ash-for-brains!" the ice mage protested.
"Gray, we can handle the situation. Natsu, if you think you can stop Nirvana, go for it!" Erza shouted, "We will deal with Midnight."
The half-dragon nodded and circled around to where they couldn't see him, but he could still see Brain. Natsu wished that looks could kill because he didn't just want to run Brain into the ground, he wanted to tear him to shreds.
"Wise choice complying with my wishes." the dark guild master smirked, "Have you made your choice?"
Natsu's bangs shadowed his eyes. "Yeah."
"Natsu…." Happy whimpered.
"HAPPY, MAX SPEED!" Natsu bellowed.
The blue cat immediately obeyed and unleashed the full extent of his Aera magic. Brain didn't seem to expect the sudden move and Lucy was easily snatched out of his grasp. As they speed off, Brain bellowed angrily at the loss of his leverage. Natsu smirked in victory, but unfortunately it was short lived.
"Natsu, I don't think I can fly anymore…" Happy moaned.
The blue cat's wings vanished and Natsu, Lucy, and Happy alike plummeted through the air. The pink-haired half-dragon instinctively clutched the unconscious Celestial Mage to his chest and rolled mid-air so he took the brunt of the fall. The impact was painful, but as soon as they landed on Nirvana, Natsu's motion sickness kicked in with a vengeance.
"Why does this thing have to be moving…? BLEH!" he moaned, biting back vomit.
"I'm sorry Natsu…" Happy groaned.
"It's fine bud...you did what you could…"
Brain suddenly materialized in front of Natsu, his expression holding a murderous rage that was directed at him. Through his motion sickness, Natsu scowled and turned to shield Lucy, who was still unconscious and even more defenceless than he was.
"You pitiful son of a lizard!" Brain bellowed, kicking Natsu hard in the back, "I will make you know true suffering for double-crossing me like that!"
Another swift kick ripped through his back. Natsu winced, but still held firm. The air behind him crackled with magic, meaning only one thing. Brain was casting a spell at them. A powerful spell that would be meant to kill them in the most brutal way possible. Natsu braced himself for the end. At least if he was going to die here today, he'd die protecting his friend.
"Dark Caprene-oof!"
The spell was cut off, by a sudden attack. Three scents mingled in the air. Damp earth, floral shampoo and spring breeze.
"Natsu-san! Are you and Lucy-chan okay?" a young and familiar voice asked, concern clear.
Natsu was about to speak, but was cut off by his motion sickness. The blue-haired half-Sky dragon appeared next to him while Carla went to scold Happy.
"Oh no! What's wrong?"
"Motion...sickness….BLEGH!"
Wendy extended her petite hands around his head and muttered a spell that Natsu couldn't catch in his motion sickness induced haze. But the feeling of his stomach trying to tie itself in knots faded until it was gone completely.
"Eh?"
Natsu released his seeming death hold on Lucy and stood up. The ground was still moving underneath his feet, but his motion sickness was gone.
"Wow! It doesn't even feel like it's moving!" Natsu exclaimed childishly, "What spell was that Wendy? Could you teach me that?"
"S-Sorry Natsu-san, but it's Sky Dragon magic."
"Oh."
"I hate to be a downer, but you should take Lucy-dono and leave while you can Natsu-dono." a mature voice said.
Natsu looked past Wendy at the bald man who was facing down Brain. Then he turned to Wendy.
"Who's the potato?"
The potato man's jaw dropped. "POTATO!?"
"Natsu-san, that's Jura one of the Ten Wizard Saints." Wendy explained.
"Oh."
"As I said. You should take Lucy-dono and leave while you can." Jura said, the mature mood settling again, "I will deal with Brain."
Brain laughed sadistically. "You deal with me? You fool! I am the leader of the Orasion Seis, the strongest member!"
Jura's tone dropped to a threatening octave. "You have stolen an important relic to Wendy-dono's guild and have attempted to harm Lucy-dono and Natsu-dono. Tell me, what is your goal."
"I don't have to tell you anything!"
The two wizards continued their argument as Natsu watched. He was torn between his choices. He really wanted to watch this fight, maybe even get a few hits in himself because he could be on Nirvana now without emptying the contents of his stomach. But, he knew he needed to get Lucy out of there. She's completely vulnerable in her current state.
Wendy pulled on his vest and nodded towards the end of the street, leading away from the impending battle. Natsu nodded shortly and picked up Lucy while Wendy picked up Happy. The half-Fire Dragon always made jokes about Lucy being heavy, but she was actually light compared to most things he's lifted over the years. Guess he just enjoyed getting a rise out of her.
A smile twinged at the corners of his mouth as he and Wendy made a mad dash for the end of the street, which quickly disappeared when a ray of magic narrowly missed Natsu's head and struck the building he just passed.
"YOU WILL NOT ESCAPE NATSU DRAGNEEL!" Brain roared.
"Iron Rock Wall!"
A barrier of stone rose from the ground, barring Brain's path towards Natsu and Wendy. They quickly turned the corner when explosions and battle cries rang through the streets.
"Wendy, do you know what's running this thing?" Natsu asked.
"I-I'm sorry! But I don't know much about Nirvana! It's always been a forbidden topic, there aren't even many records on it!"
Natsu glanced up at the city skyline. Far off there was a large tower like building that stood taller then the rest.
"How about up there?"
Carla glanced up. "That is actually a viable possibility. The control matrix could be up there."
Natsu speed up. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's get moving!"
A/N: Two chapters in one week! I'm on fire! Mostly because I found a way to work on chapters while I have free time at school, so hopefully I'll keep updating regularly.
Please check out the poll on my profile too. Thanks for reading the chapter :)