Balance In Our Lives

by EnergyMageFrea

The Grand Magic Games are over, but trouble is still present in Fiore. Frea finds herself in a lot more trouble than she could have ever expected, and she has no choice but to test the limits of her own Power, when things keep turning from bad to worse. But its not only danger that threatens her, its also the threat of keeping the balance between the people around her and herself.

35. Chapter 35- Deficiency?

Chapter 35

Deficiency?

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or its characters, only my own OC's, Energy Magic, and Ideas

The group walked along the underground streets of what looked like an ancient city, buildings rose up around them and candles glowed upon every flat surface to provide light in a place that would have otherwise been dark.

They had made their way to the bottom of the long drop through use of Frea's boxes. Frea had managed to make all the boxes needed and she hadn't let any fail for the hour or so she had been making them almost nonstop.

She took a deep breath, feeling very strained. It wasn't easy to make those boxes, it wasn't easy to maintain them, and to make so many and for so long was almost too much...

Moon glanced sideways at her Partner, easily able to tell how tired Frea had become. She was seated on Frea's shoulder now as they walked along, taking in all the sights of this underground ruin. She felt sympathetic to how much strain using that new technique she had created had put on the Energy Dragon Slayer, usually it wasn't wise to use something one had so little practice and success with on such a large scale, but Frea hadn't much choice on the matter.

"What is this place?" Happy murmured in awe,

"It was said that the priests who tended the Graveyard lived here as well." Lucy explained, "This must be where they were, for their whole lives."

"Do you think the clock piece we're looking for is down here?" Michelle murmured, Lucy nodded.

"Most likely," she murmured, sweatdropping. "But this place is so big, it'll take a long time to find it..."

Frea halted and the small movement caused the others to as well, all of them tense as Frea looked around the ruin with narrowed eyes, slowly moving her gaze up toward a staircase above them.

She had sensed it easily, the Energy Signatures of two people they had come across before- more specifically, two people who had thoroughly pissed her off.

"What is it?" Natsu asked.

"The guy we ran into at Lucy's Mansion... And the counterpart of Coco." Frea muttered lowly, "They're here."

They moved at a slow pace, approaching the top of that same staircase Frea was looking at as if they hadn't a care in the world. And then they appeared there, looking down at them.

Dan Straight grinned down at them and waved a hand, "Hey! Good to meet you guys again!" He called, Frea frowned. He was the man who had turned her tiny, and buried her under a pile of junk to add to it. To say the very least, she did not like him.

"So you bastards are here too huh?!" Natsu growled, fists clenching at his sides. Frea's own fists clenched, eyes narrowed.

"Samuel told us about 'The Key of the Starty Heavens'." Dan answered with a smile, "and we know a part of the Clock is here."

"Tch..." Moon hissed, Frea catching on to the noise easily but without looking Moon's way. "That 'Samuel' cat is starting to piss me off.." Her Partner muttered lowly.

Coco raised a hand, "It seems you haven't found the part yet either, huh?" She asked. Dan took a step forward before halting, his eyes wide as he caught sight of...?

"Isn't that Lulu-chama over there?!" The man exclaimed, his eyes landing to Lucy who had moved behind Michelle. Frea blinked at the name, sweatdropping at the emotions dancing off of Dan and Lucy so suddenly, quite confused. Had she missed something? Moon glanced to her and she could see her own confusion on her Partner's face.

"Who you calling 'Lulu-chama'?!" Lucy snapped, looking very nervous.

"He didn't call you that before.." Happy murmured.

"Before..?" Frea and Moon murmured.

"His pet name for you has gotten even more embarrassing." Michelle said with a nervous smile.

"Pet... Name...?" Frea and Moon mumbled again,

"Encountering each other like this... Its a fated reunion indeed!" Dan went on, a very absurd look coming upon his face as he seemed to be overwhelmed with his odd.. Attraction... To Lucy so suddenly. Frea gave the man a flat stare, so not only did he flirt, he fell in love with woman on the spot too?

"Its proof that we're joined by the red string of fate!" He went on, moving closer to Lucy who moved away.

"That's not for you to decide!" The blonde snapped, Dan didn't hear her and clapped his hands together.

"L-O-V-E!" He sang, but in an instant Natsu jumped forward in a flurry of flame to interrupt his daydreaming. The pinkette looked annoyed, and Frea blinked at the expression on his face, pausing a moment.

Annoyed...

"I'm gonna get you back for last time!" Natsu growled, his fist hitting Dan's shield as the man blocked it, and then kicking off into the air. His cheeks puffed up as he sucked in air for that well-known attack.

"Fire Dragon Roar!" The tornado of dancing flame simply rebounded off of Dan's shield in random directions, Frea took a step in front of Lucy, Romeo, Happy and Michelle- her hand raising as a silver shield appeared before them to ward off the randomly thrown fire.

"I don't have time for you." Dan said in a bored voice. "Right now, I'm facing a major turning point in my life!" He grinned and behind her, Frea felt Lucy shudder.

"Natsu! Be careful!" Romeo yelled, his eyes landing on the wildly thrown flame. But Natsu didn't listen, as usual- and instead went at it again with his 'Fire Dragon's Iron Fist'. The flame ricocheting from the shield bounced against Frea's own shield harmlessly, but some of it bombarded the ancient buildings behind them and they began to crumble.

Frea growled, "Run!" She ordered, letting her shield drop as they took off, she didn't want to risk getting buried by sitting still. She grabbed Natsu's shirt as she passed him and hauled him along as they took off in the flurry of stone and dust that rose, in the great amount of distraction that had been caused in so little time.

"They're not chasing us," Romeo said as they slowed to a small halt, leaving the crashing noise of the falling ruin behind them.

"Maybe if we're lucky, they got buried." Lucy said,

Natsu grinned, "Just as I planned!" He exclaimed, Frea rolled her eyes and dropped him.

"Don't lie." She muttered, sending him a stern look. "Next time, try to remember your Magic is going to be deflected- you're going end up causing too much damage if you fly at him blindly." Natsu simply huffed,

"Either way, finding the part is our priority." Lucy murmured, they all nodded.

"I agree... We'll have to search everywhere though, since we don't have a clue as to where it could be." Moon mumbled,

Frea's head tilted slightly sideways, and Moon blinked. Frea's eyes narrowed and without warning, she swiftly spun around and threw an Energy Bomb she had created in her hand in a split-second, toward a bend in the path they had taken, Moon nearly fell off the Energy Dragon Slayer's shoulder at the unexpected action. Everyone else jumped, sweatdropping at the cold look that appeared on Frea's face in a single instant.

"Frea?!"

That Energy Bomb barely missed the head of Dan Straight as he appeared around the corner and noticed it without a second to waste, the silver sphere promptly hit a building farther behind him and wore a trench through it- Frea didn't bother to let it explode.

"Oh-ho!" Dan smiled, his eyes landing on Frea with a wide grin. "I see you are here too, Ms. Frea! What a lovely surprise to see such a beautiful face as yours again!" A vein ticked on Frea's forehead and she glared, while everyone else blinked.

"Cut the crap before I punch your face in." Frea said lowly,

"Ah, oh well~" Dan sighed, "You are beautiful, but you lack the feminine grace of Lulu-chama!" He grinned, sliding over to Lucy just as Frea lift a hand and another Energy Bomb formed in her palm, she looked quite ready to hit him in the face with it, another vein ticked on her forehead and Moon sweatdropped at how angry Dan's antics seemed to make the Energy Dragon Slayer.

"Dan! Right now, finding that part takes priority over everything else!" Coco jumped down from an overhanging ledge, looking serious. Dan glanced back at her, his smile fading. "We have and important duty to carry out!"

"I know!" Dan responded, "But love is important too! L-O-V-E!"

"I'm sick of hearing that!" Natsu yelled, the first to react to the word as he had been before, Frea blinked, before letting her Energy Bomb disperse and she placed a shield in front of her and the rest of the group one more time, just as Natsu let loose a flurry of flame at Dan.

He gets so angry when Dan says he 'loves' Lucy... Frea smiled a little more, chuckling under her breath as she saw the look of utter anger and annoyance on the pinkette's face.

Natsu's flames bounced off Frea's shield before she let it drop, and Dan raised his spear in the air, looking just about as mad as Natsu did.

"Anyone interfering between two people in love will get sliced up like a fish!" Dan snapped, pointing his spear at Natsu. "Fear the might of my Magic Spear, Happy Lucky!" He brought it forward in a powerful stroke, one that sent forth dozens upon dozens of green flashes of Magic- the same Magic that would shrink you should you get hit.

"Careful Natsu!" Frea called to him,

"I know!" Natsu yelled frantically, struggling to dodge the Magic.

Frea's eyes widened when she saw a bit of green flash by her in a moments time, and she turned her head just in time to see Lucy get hit with it- before she was just as miniature as Frea and Natsu had been not long before.

"What happened?!" Lucy yelled, Frea blinked. How had that one blast of Magic managed to get passed her, without her noticing it until it was too late?

Dan paused, his jaw dropping at what he had done and intent to shrink Natsu completely forgotten. "Forgive me! I didn't mean to do it! I shrunk the woman that I love!" Dan balled, looking distraught. "I-I'm a failure as a lover!"

"If that's how you feel, than change me back to normal!" Lucy yelled, looking very unamused at Dan and his behavior. Dan pointed his spear toward Lucy and smiled,

"Of course!" He grinned, before he paused again and blinked, looking skeptical. Lucy looked to him, confused as to why he had paused.

"What?"

"Actually... A tiny Lulu-chama has a charm that I'm reluctant to give up!" He bent down toward the miniaturized blonde. "I think I'll keep you like this as my mascot!"

"You gotta be kidding me!" Lucy yelled.

"Nah, I think I will leave you like this." Dan smiled, "and when I get home, I'll put you on my desk and appreciate you at my leisure!"

Frea stared, what was she, a toy to him? But suddenly a mental image of the figurines of the Guild Members that Max sold came to mind...

"I'm not a room decoration!" Lucy protested, looking very put off by the words.

Suddenly, Dan swooped Lucy up and quickly tied her to a small red string- which he presently attached to his belt. Natsu and Frea stepped up, not looking to let the man get away with Lucy so easily.

"Now that my love and I are one, its time to finish you off!" Dan grinned, letting loose the fragments of his green Magic fly through the air with quick thrusts of his spear. Frea and Natsu took to dodging them, she hadn't time to put a shield up before the Magic was already upon her, and neither she nor Natsu were looking to be shrunk down again. Moon held on to Frea's shoulder tightly, ears flat as she relied on her Partner to dodge of the Magic, knowing if she let go she may not be able to dodge as effectively as Frea could.

"Dan, attack them later! Right now we have to look for the Clock part!" Coco yelled, looking quite flustered that her comrade wasn't listening very well, nor sticking to their assignment.

"I've got them right where I want them! You go on ahead!" Dan called back,

"Samuel didn't tell me any of the details! I can't search without you!" Coco protested, Moon's ears twitched as she held on to Frea. Her eyes narrowed at Dan and she let her Magic cast out toward him- she had used up a lot constantly carrying Lucy down and catching Frea, but she always had enough left to scan Memories, and she quickly did so to Dan's.

"What are we going to do? We need to search for that Clock part too!" Happy asked,

"But we can't leave Lucy-neesan like that!" Michelle protested.

"This is... Making me... Dizzy!" Lucy exclaimed, being bounced around and twisted as Dan moved to send his Magic at Frea and Natsu alike. The blonde produced a gold Key and swiped it before her,

"Open! Gate of the Archer; Sagittarius!"

The Spirit appeared in plume of smoke, but Sagittarius was the same mini size as Lucy. "What's going on, my Lady?!" The Spirit explained in shock,

"Since I'm tiny, so are my Spirits?!"

"Even so... I will try my best..." Sagittarius murmured shakily, aiming his bow toward Dan as Magic infused with the arrow and he let loose, it struck Dan in the cheek but was nothing more than a pin-prick. It did distract the man enough to take him away from trying to shrink Natsu and Frea.

"Hmm?" Dan murmured, pulling the small arrow from his cheek and flicking it away. His eye turned to Sagittarius and he grinned, "I think I'll deal with you-" his foot lift to stomp on the small Spirit, but Lucy sent him back immediately.

"Say Dan," Michelle spoke up suddenly, catching the man's attention as she walked to him. "What would you say to marrying Lucy-neesan right now?" She smiled sweetly,

"WHAT?!" Lucy yelled, looking frantic as Frea and Moon stared in silence, Natsu's head snapped back and forth between Michelle and Dan with wide eyes.

"Right here?" Dan asked, interested.

"Sure, this is Holy ground- and it has a lot of historical value. I think its perfect!" Michelle smiled and Frea narrowed her eyes, what the hell-?

"Ooh!" Dan hummed, looking enthusiastic. "I believe you are right!"

"Then I should start planning the bridal party!" Michelle smiled, going on to detail the plans she held for the two- such as the guests invited, the honeymoon, how they would be portrayed in the stars for all eternity and all manner of ridiculous things that honestly, didn't have any reason to be discussed in any way, shape or form.

Natsu and Lucy became even more infuriated as Michelle went on, and Dan only grew more excited. Frea would have been amused by the reaction from Natsu at the words, if she hadn't caught on to the sight of Romeo approaching Dan from behind, and letting loose his yellow fire.

She blinked at the sight, realizing that Michelle must have told Romeo to do so while she distracted Dan in the only way possible- by making a story of his wedding to Lucy.

But Romeo over-did it, and soon the air was laced with the disgusting stench of the Mage's Yellow Fire to the point it was unbearable. Frea held a hand to her nose, trying her best to block out the scent as it invaded her sensitive sense of smell. Her reaction was shared by everyone else as they gagged and coughed, and Dan jumped a little.

The string holding Lucy snapped and she was sent into the air, where Happy flew to catch her. The blue Exceed took off, and Dan noticed the action immediately, realizing he had lost his 'love'.

"No! I'll turn her back so you both fall from the weight!" Dan snapped, jumping into the air and sending a flurry of his Magic at Happy and Lucy.

They were both hit, and Lucy hit the ground with a thump- she was back to normal and jumped to her feet in happiness. "I'm back!" She exclaimed, looking to everyone else and expecting relieved looks-

Everyone was looking past her with wide eyes, and slightly dropped jaws, sweatdropping heavily as they gazed upon the figure casting a massive shadow over the form of Lucy- who slowly turned to see what had happened.

Happy was nearly the height of a building, having grown in size as he was hit with Dan's Magic. The blue Exceed stood in shock, eyes staring straight ahead and not daring to move for the moment.

Dan sweatdropped, his lance lowering as he gazed at what he did it. "I missed my target again..." The man murmured.

"You're no master lancer are you?!" Natsu snapped, still looking to be trying to process what had happened to his Partner.

"You idiot!" Happy yelled, starting to move uncontrollably out of his extreme confusion. Each foot step shook the ground, and in his new size Happy was so uncoordinated that he began to knock into the ruins and make them crash, while also managing to crush Natsu under his foot. "I stepped on Natsu again!"

Frea braced herself as Happy tried to regain his bearings and avoid hitting anymore buildings, but he failed and instead decided to take to the sky for a better alternative, though that didn't make anything any better and more ruins began to fall and crumble as the huge figure of Happy crashed into them.

"This is a historical site! Stop destroying it!" Coco shouted, dodging in and out of falling debris as everyone else was.

"I'll change him back!" Dan shouted, sending a flurry of Magic at Happy until the blue Exceed was back to his regular size- and he promptly slumped over on Natsu's shoulder looking as if he had gone through a horribly traumatic experience.

"Now we're all back to normal!" Lucy exclaimed, "come on! We need to find that Part!"

"But where are we gonna start?" Romeo asked, Lucy pulled out the 'Key of the Starry Heavens' book, and consulted it.

"This might tell us where to start looking-"

"Then I need that book!" Coco announced, running toward Lucy with an unbelievable burst of speed. The blonde started to run and Romeo, Happy and Michelle followed her. They were soon out of sight,

"I'm going to finish you!" Dan sprang toward Natsu and the pinkette met the attack head on, gaze hard.

"Leave him to me, Frea!" Natsu shouted, seemingly sensing that Frea had been about to jump in the fight with him- she herself had a bone to pick with that guy, and for a moment she scowled at what Natsu said.

Natsu jumped back away from Dan a moment and looked over his shoulder toward Frea, and she paused. He looked much more determined now than she had seen him in a long time, and she blinked in surprise. "I know you wanna get back at him for turning you tiny," Natsu murmured, "But I'm gonna beat this guy." He said firmly and she paused.

She thought to how angry Natsu was with Dan. She knew he wasn't so angry for the man shrinking him, as he was for Dan's constant chasing of Lucy... She smiled slightly.

He's angry at Dan for trying to pick up Lucy. He's angry he's declaring his love for her... She chuckled slightly, if he was really determined to finish this fight himself, and not just for simple revenge... Then she would leave him be.

"Alright Natsu," she murmured, Moon's eyes snapped to her as she looked to her in shock. "Beat him then, and get your ass moving. We'll meet up later." She smirked and Natsu smirked back.

"You bet." He answered and turned away, Frea turned and began running in the direction the others had gone.

"Why'd you give in so easy?" Moon asked and Frea smiled,

"Because he's not fighting for himself. Not for his own revenge against Dan." Frea replied evenly, she glanced to Moon, her eyes shinning in amusement. "He's fighting for Lucy." For a moment, Moon looked to her before she smiled herself.

"Of course he is..." She sighed,

"We need to catch up with the others," Frea murmured, running at full-speed without activating her Magic. Her eyes narrowed as they went on ahead, easily able to feel the Energy Signatures of her Guild Mates ahead of them- and that of Coco.

"Frea," Moon murmured, catching the Dragon Slayers attention easily. "I scanned Dan's Memories, and I found out a few things."

"Such as?" Frea asked, not bothering to stop her running.

"They're leader, he's been taking Orders from a Cardinal within Zentopia." Moon murmured, "Which isn't surprising, because they do work for the church."

"So that much of what they said was true." Frea murmured and Moon nodded, "Anything else?"

"None of them know what they're doing all of this for exactly. At least not according to Dan, they're being given orders and simply following them- for what higher purpose, that's been hidden from them so far." Moon went on. "And as Dan sees it, this Cardinal giving out the orders is being sent by the Arch-Bishop himself, so they're chain of command seems just about as simple as that." Moon sighed slightly. "Its really isn't much, the only other things I didn't already know was something about the Arch-Bishop having a lot of nightmares or something.."

"Even if it isn't much, its still more than we had." Frea told her evenly, "You're taking that job Master gave you pretty seriously already." Frea smirked and Moon blinked, before Frea looked away and went on faster. "Now its time I take the one he gave me just as seriously as you, and keep an eye on Michelle."

She hadn't been thinking about that when she allowed the group of Romeo, Happy, Michelle and Lucy to run off after Coco without her- that was her fault but she took a little solace in the idea that with Romeo, Happy and Lucy all there that it wasn't likely for Michelle to try anything, if that was her plan at all.

From how far the Energy Signatures of her Guild Mates felt now... They were moving exceptionally fast, and even with her own speed she wasn't drawing closer as she dodged among the ruins of the city, jumping over low walls and vaulting over roofs all the while.

From what Moon found out, what on earth could be the point in all of this? Was it simply the want to bring chaos upon the world? But who would want that- certainly not the Arch-Bishop himself? None of this made any sense at all...

Her thoughts snapped away from that when she felt the ground shake a little, and a strong and powerful Energy Signature sprung up suddenly, a sickly sweet smell hit her nose and she sweatdropped at the Negative Emotion in the air so suddenly.

She whipped about in an instant, feeling Moon's claws dig into her shirt at the sudden movement as her Partner tried to hold on. Frea's eyes widened at the sight of a dark purple haze spilling out through the air toward her, too fast and too wide to avoid. That bitter-sweet scent turned to one of sourness... Her eyes widened a bit more because she knew what that cloud was immediately, and the image of a tall woman with long black hair and purple eyes shot up before her, as dark clouds filled the sky and hundreds of arrows oozing black Magic clouded her mind a moment.

"Cover your mouth! Don't breath it in!" Frea hissed to Moon, as her arm shot up to cover her own and Moon did the same with a paw, sweatdropping heavily as they were both engulfed by the cloud and they came to a dead stop.

Frea's eyes narrowed and watered a bit at the small sting that came with the cloud, it wrapped about her like a heavy blanket and she clenched her jaw.

This wasn't Senna, nor her attack... It was something similar though.

"Hmm... You saw it coming?" A voice murmured lowly from the cloud about them, the dark purple lifted slightly to allow sight of a man standing before them in the cloud, undisturbed by the deadly fumes about them. And why should he be? He's the one that made them.

His hair was red in color, his eyes narrowed and one left closed by a sharp scar running across it. His hands remained in his coat pockets as he gazed at Moon and Frea with a cold expression.

Frea's Magic bubbled to the surface and spiraled around her in a sphere shape, glowing amongst the sudden dim and warding off as much of the poison as she could manage- which, was very little considering she couldn't effectively ward off what was part of the air. Moon guessed her Magic did little too, because the Exceed didn't dare suck in air until she couldn't hold it any longer.

Cobra didn't flinch as Frea's Magic rose up, he simply looked it over a moment- knowing full well she did it in vain.

Why was he here? She knew who it was, she guessed it... She had never met him in person, but she had felt his Energy Signature before- in Crocus when they had been fighting the Dragons. They had been allies then, now however... It didn't seem that way.

"I can hear your lungs begging for air." He muttered, eye narrowing at her.

Frea sucked in a bit of the poison-laced air and hissed, it stung on her throat and immediately she felt a chill run through her.

"Its... Cobra... Right...?" She asked slowly, attempting not to suck in as much poison as she could manage. Her eyes narrowed a bit,

"Hmm?" He murmured, head tilted slightly. "Have I seen you somewhere before?" He asked, eyes narrowing, before they widened with a look of knowing. "No... But I heard your Magic, back in Crocus. I felt it flow through my body..." Frea stiffened slightly, "... And I heard it when you set off that supposed Magic Anomaly. You are the Mage with the great power." He murmured.

"Heard..?" Frea murmured, eyes narrowing a little.

"I did not expect to run across you here." Cobra went on, "And I do not think I have time to fight with you either- I don't expect you will be easy to defeat."

Moon coughed out, unable to hold her breath anymore as she sucked in the poison- which only made her cough more. Frea sweatdropped, glancing to her Partner a moment, it wasn't the best idea to sit in a poison cloud very long, they needed out of it rather fast.

"I can hear your thoughts." Cobra said suddenly, looking at Moon with a cold expression. The grey Exceed flinched a little, "You won't be able to read my mind so easily, nor control it." His eyes switched to Frea for a moment, "Now why is it... I can't hear your thoughts..?" Frea blinked and took a small step back,

"No one can." She replied lowly, "Now why... Are you here... Cobra..?" She hissed, each breath of the cloud stung at her throat painfully- she could hear Moon's painful breaths easily and winced at the noise. Cobra's head tilted a little. "We worked... Together in Crocus... I figured you were... Attempting to repay for... What you did in the past..."

"I was." He answered, "And I still intend that." Frea stiffened, blinking in confusion.

"And poisoning people... Is the way to.. Go about it...?" She muttered, her tone betraying a hint of annoyance.

He sighed a little, "I make it a point to repay the debts I owe." He said, "I don't want this personally... But honor holds me to try and repay this debt."

"Debt...?" Frea murmured, teeth gritting a little. "To... Who...?" She muttered, but her attention was forced away from that when she felt Moon's pawhold on her shoulder weaken suddenly, as the Exceed began to slide from her shoulder out of weakness from the poison's fast oncoming effects.

"Moon!" Frea hissed, Moon's eyes fell halfway as she looked to Frea, who had grabbed her before she could fall, now being held on the Energy Dragon Slayer's arms. Frea didn't get an answer, and she let out a low "Tch..."

"This poison isn't meant to kill you." Cobra muttered, "... Just weaken you into exhaustion..." He paused. "... It is lethal with a prolonged exposure, however." He added in a slight warning tone, Frea growled a little and turned a deadly stare in the man- one he blinked in shock at.

"I understand debts... But this is wrong." She growled. "If you oppose us... And my Guild... You'll get a fight from me." She muttered darkly, her Magic flaring up suddenly.

"Fight me, and leave Moon out of this." Frea growled dangerously.

"I already said I don't wish to fight you-" Cobra muttered.

"You don't have a choice." Frea snapped coldly, "Because either you're getting rid of this poison willingly, or I'm going to make you." Her Magic increased again and Cobra seemed to hesitate a moment, his eyes scanning her in silence.

He knew very well that this was not a woman he could intimidate so easily- and as of yet, she was clearly resisting his poison. Most people would have succumbed to it by now, even with her Magic attempting to ward it off... And yet, he wasn't going back. He couldn't, he had this last debt to pay and then he would have all the time in the world to try and make things right.

Perhaps she was right, doing this was going to set his wishes back by quite a bit and yet he didn't have much choice in his mind. This was what he had been ordered to do, and he would do it... Even if it meant going against his own wishes, and having to face someone like this woman who was clearly rather powerful- so much so he might actually lose.

"You'll have to defeat me then." He muttered, his hands leaving his pockets as he readied himself. "And I would hurry, you may last longer against my poison, but your precious cat won't." Frea let out a low hiss, she swept her hand out before her as a stream of silver streamed trough the air toward Cobra- who jumped away in surprise at the quick action, looking back to see Frea was no longer where she had been.

His ears caught onto the sound of her steps, but they were nowhere near him and he glanced about, eyes narrowed.

"Energy Dragon Wave Attack!" Her voice snapped, this time suddenly above him as his head snapped up to see her flip in air above his head, her arms thrusting down toward him and lacking her Exceed Partner. Several waves of Magic flew toward him, and he hissed- jumping away with accuracy and quick movements.

"Energy Dragon Iron Fist!" Frea growled, suddenly behind him as she brought her fist forward to land a hit on the center of his back, launching him forward as he growled in pain.

He was sent away with an insane amount of force, as he struggled to flip in air and regain his balance, whipping about to face her and wincing.

How fast was she moving?! He could hear her movements, but they were so quick and sudden he hadn't any chance to know where he was hearing them... Of anything he might expect, this insane amount of speed wasn't one of the things he had guessed.

Frea's hands clapped together and silver erupted about his feet, causing the ground to shake under him as his head snapped down.

"Energy Trap!"

Silver encased him on all sides in the next instant, and he tensed. His own Magic swirled up around him and his arms became covered in purple scales, as he slashed out at her Magic with unusual claws oozing his Magic, tearing the sides of the box just as it exploded around him.

He was thrown back and yelled out in pain a moment, Frea took a breath- she was drained already... And this poison about wasn't helping. She was doing a fairly good job in spite of it, but she felt herself weakening and her vision was growing hazy in response to the toxic air and rapid use of Magic in it.

Cobra slid back in a crouch, his eyes coming up to meet hers as he scowled, taking a breath himself. Already he was losing... She was much stronger than he had first thought, even he wasn't much a match for her... And she was attacking so rapidly and at a pace he couldn't keep up with, he hadn't any time to counter attack at all or even think of doing so!

He stiffened and recoiled as her hands separated and she swiped them in an upward motion- just as several silver Magic Circles appeared on the ground around him.

"Energy Lance!"

Cobra jumped, his feet pushing off the surface of one of her Lances as he propelled himself away from them- not looking to be hit full on. Frea hissed in annoyance as he managed to dodge, she squared her feet and sucked in air as he slowly arced in the air before her.

"Energy Dragon Roar!"

The spinning tornado of silver spiraled out toward him, rather large for a breath attack as Cobra was engulfed. The city around them trembled with the force and air spiraling out about them from the attack alone,

Frea broke off halfway into the attack as her body convulsed with harsh coughs, the poison in the air tearing at her throat as she sucked in. She tasted the tang of blood and hissed, rubbing her throat and eyes scrunching closed as a bout of lightheadedness hit her. "S-s.. Shit..." She hissed lowly, the Magic surrounding her faltering.

Her eyes went wide when she heard the sound of Cobra behind her suddenly, having taken advantage of his poison affecting her- her head turning in time to see his now scaled arms swing out toward her and his claws made contact with her back- tearing her shirt and skin with a painful slice, while detonating with a force that sent her forward, skidding back over the street a ways before coming to a painful stop. She began slowly pushing herself up as she felt blood well up on her back- the scratches burning with fire as she felt more poison seep into her body.

Cobra paused a minute, all he had needed was one good hit to poison her with a very concentrated power- and he was hoping that one good hit would have much more affect than the cloud around them seemed to have on her. While his original intent with the Poison Cloud was to knock her out, it clearly wasn't working as well as it should be so he upped the power of the Poison with that claw attack. That much Poison he had just let loose into her blood was enough to kill someone in two minutes- he was hoping it to work as well as it should, he had no time for this.

She was a nuisance. She was too much trouble to deal with, he couldn't fight with her unbridled for long- she was too strong. And he would admit her Breath Attack had gotten him, he more than a few scratches and bruises to count for from barely missing the tornado of silver and being engulfed completely, which he was sure would have seriously injured him. He wanted her to quit, he didn't want to seriously hurt her, nor kill her and this fight was only going to get worse if he hadn't taken harsher measures. But... He knew quitting wasn't going to work for her, and he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to continue this fight- so he opted for ending it.

"F-fucking... B.. Bastard.." His ears caught onto the sound of Frea muttering the words under her breath, she was slowly sitting up- her bleeding back to him as she winced at the pain. He could immediately tell she was feeling the effects of the poison, she was weaker suddenly and he sighed silently- thinking he had mange to end this short-lived exchange between them.

Then his eyes widened when he caught sight of something... Something like steam coming from her body suddenly, and the sound of sizzling reached his ears. And then he was hit with the feel of her Power rising, rising rapidly and erupting enough to make the air tremble, though no silver appeared around her. Her Power was tripling, and why he didn't quite know... But how...?

... How could she have so much Power all of the sudden? The Poison he hit her with should be forcing her into unconsciousness... It should be killing her, she shouldn't be able to use Magic let alone let it triple!

His eyes went wide as he froze, because the scratches he had carved into her back... Steam was coming from the wounds steadily, as they burned hot with white- her skin stitching back together on its own until nothing was left- even the blood was burned away as her Magic overflowed.

"H-how... That's... Impossible..." He stammered, that couldn't be possible, had she healed herself? Even then, was she seriously able to do that? She couldn't be! No one but the Sky Maiden and that girl in Lamia Scale should be able to do that!

Frea got to her feet slowly, still not facing him as he stood in a shocked stupor, all the while- the pressure about her presence increased with the feel of her Magic getting larger.

He took a small step back, because something hit him- a feeling... He couldn't beat her, even with his apparent win with poisoning her more. This Power radiating from her, it was nothing like he had ever felt... He couldn't match it, not at his own full power... And she was even being weakened by his poison!

No, this definitely was not a battle he wanted to fight. He had known that, and now he knew it more than ever in that one moment, just as he felt her Power increase so steadily. He could poison her, he could wound her- and yet it wasn't making a difference. Perhaps it was her determination to save her cat, or maybe it was something else... But he was done for if he went on, he wouldn't win, and now he knew it.

Frea suddenly turned around and her Magic broke the surface, exploding about her in a flurry of silver spiraling all around and sending a wave of air out- catching rubble and sending it into his face. He stared,

Such Power... It couldn't be possible, not when poisoned... Not... Never before had he seen this, it was quite impossible and yet, there she was. Right before him...

"What... Is she...?" He whispered.

"Energy Dragon Slayer:" she hissed, not moving a muscle as her Magic began to move faster about her. "Earth Shock."

The ground was torn up in a flurry of immense power pouring from it and around it, shaking the ground all around and sending up large slabs of street and earth alike as her Magic made a beeline toward him. The Ground began to crack under his feet even before the whole attack made it to him, and he took a few frantic steps backward in shock.

The whole of the underground city seemed to tremble as the beeline headed toward Cobra- the Magic tearing the ground apart as it traveled through and around the Earth suddenly exploded with immense force where Cobra was standing, sending blinding light up amongst the cloud of poison covering the air where Frea was.

Natsu paused in his fighting with Dan as he felt the ground under his feet shake, and even the feel of the air trembling with the force- it was the other Members of Fairy Tail close by to him and they reunited not long before and the wandering figure of Coco who paused at the sudden shaking and sweatdropped, not knowing what it was.

Cobra stopped, having moved far enough away from Frea to at least avoid being seen, holding a heavily bleeding arm as he cast a glance backward, sweatdropping.

No.. No.

He couldn't win against her, he knew that now- retreat was the best option and he knew it- that woman, she was a level much higher than him, though she didn't seem like it at first glance. He wouldn't win against her now and he doubted he ever would... his only option was to hope his poison would manage to wear her down to a level he could contend with, for when he was sure they would be seeing each other later.

Frea's Magic faded as the ground stilled and the Poison Cloud disappeared suddenly, being allowed to die off as Cobra moved away.

Frea stood where she had been, her Magic dying down completely as she stood at the head a very large line of torn-up earth before her, that ended in a crater of broken up slabs of rock that stuck about at jagged angles.

'Earth Shock' was an attack she had been shown once by Chaitanya, but never taken any interest in. It required an overwhelming amount of Magic Force to pull off, and she hadn't ever had that much needed until now it would seem...

Her knees trembled before she allowed herself to fall onto them and lean over, painting heavily as her throat continued to burn and the lightheadedness remained- she could still feel large traces of Cobra's Poison flowing in her body, though she had managed to destroy a good amount of it while she used 'Morana Drearand' to heal the wounds he had dug into her back.

If using those Energy Boxes to climb down here for so long had been draining, she couldn't imagine anything worse than the strain of using Magic while being poisoned... She shook her head to try and clear the dizziness, failing to get rid of it.

She was aware Cobra got away, but right now she wasn't focused on trying to go after him. He had left on his own, and let his Poison Cloud fade too- that was good enough for now. But she did have to beg the question, who was he with? And why? She tried to pick out any other Energy Signatures but couldn't find any.

She paused a moment longer to collect herself and took a deep breath, slowly pushing herself to stand. Her sudden upsurge of raw Magic had been quite a shock to her as well, considering how drained she had been already- and the burning away of some of the Poison in her system, and even the use of Morana Drearand hadn't been of her own conscious accord, they had just happened without her trying to make them happen.

Her shirt hung about her loosely, the entire back had been cut and it was no longer a full shirt, she sighed and tore the bottom half of it off, before tying a bit of it about her neck and another part together on her back- leaving the shirt to reach up just above her stomach and remain secure.

She made her way toward a small encloser lined with stone nearby, the glow of silver coming off the Energy Dome she had set up around Moon, who she had moved a decent ways away to avoid getting her caught in the fighting with Cobra. With a flick of her hand, her Dome melted away and she crouched down, gently nudging Moon.

"Moon..?" She murmured, only receiving a low moan. Frea placed both hands just above her Partner and closed her eyes, she could easily smell the sickly scent of poison hanging over her Partner and knew she had been exposed to a good amount- too much for comfort. She was willing to use her Magic to heal Moon as best she could and tried to get rid of the poison in her Partner's body, even if it was going to be another huge strain on her already strained body.

"Morana.. Drearand..." She mumbled, her hands glowing silver as she channeled her own Life Force into Moon- destroying as much Poison as she could and closing her her eyes, feeling more lightheaded immediately.

"F.. Frea...?" Moon's voice caused Frea to open her eyes and let her Magic fade, panting a bit more now after using the Spell. Moon blinked and pushed herself into a sitting position, looking around as Frea caught her breath again. "What.. What the hell happened?" She asked and Frea sighed.

"Glad to see you awake." Frea murmured with a small relieved smile, ignoring Moon's question for the time being. "How do you feel?"

".. Weak..." Moon mumbled, "But... fine." Moon paused and Frea nodded, her eyes falling closed. Moon's eyes swept over her Partner as she took in the cuts and bruises, the frayed and torn clothes and the dried blood that had mostly been burned away. "Frea... Are you ok?" Moon asked urgently and Frea nodded,

"I'm fine, just a bit drained." She replied as she opened her eyes with another small smile, it was more like 'seriously drained'. "I'm just glad you are alright." She murmured, taking a comfortable seat for a moment.

"What did..?"

"I had a bit of a fight with Cobra." Frea answered, "He took off though,"

"And the poison?" Moon asked and Frea sighed.

"Well... You were in it for a bit, and so was I..." She paused, "He also managed to scratch me and poison me a bit more too," Frea smiled. "But, I'm more resistant to poison than most people, ever since I fought with a Poison Mage a long time ago. And I got rid of most the Poison in you. I... I'll be ok in a bit." Moon gave her a stare and shook her head slightly.

"Where did he go?" Moon murmured and Frea's head tilted back a little,

"Not far," Frea murmured, "But he did get rid of that Cloud willingly- I didn't do it. So I expect he probably won't move to come after us for awhile..." Her eyes narrowed, "... I don't know who he is repaying his debt to though, which means we may be in for some more enemies and soon..." Her eyes switched back to Moon who nodded in understanding,

"Then we need to find everyone else." Moon murmured and Frea nodded. The Energy Dragon Slayer got to her feet slowly and helped Moon to her paws, before picking her up and placing her back on her shoulder. Frea began to move off, following the feel of their Guild Mates Energy Signatures up ahead- where she noted the quick appearance of two more Energy Signatures.

They passed the place where Frea had torn up the street and ground while fighting with Cobra, Moon stared in shock at the sight and glanced to Frea. "A little fight?" She murmured, her eyes scanning over the completely destroyed place surrounding, she couldn't remember the last time she had seen so much destruction... Frea sighed, blinking a few times as the haziness over her vision continued to grow.

"Somewhat..."

---

"Last time, we didn't have a chance to cross swords. But we finally meet, Byro Cracy." Erza appeared before the lowered figure of Coco as the girl awaited an attack from her comrade- having willingly saved Lucy and the others from being hit by a devastating attack. Natsu had previously been fighting with the man, taking a hell of a beating when he found his Magic useless against Byro.

Erza appeared in an instant, seemingly from thin air as she had not been anywhere in the ruin but moments before. Natsu, Lucy, Romeo and Happy smiled at her appearance.

"Erza!"

"Titania." Byro growled, immediately recognizing the redhead.

"Don't Titania me!" Erza muttered coldly, "Aiming an attack at your comrade in a fit of rage... It makes me sick." She hissed, eyes dark- having apparently overheard what it was Byro had been saying moments before.

"Hell yeah! You don't bully the weak," Gray called down from farther up, standing beside Juvia and Lyon as they remained around the Clock Piece they had collected.

"Huh? Why Lyon?" Happy murmured, spotting the Lamia Scale Wizard.

"I had a hunch there was trouble, so we hustled on over here... And look what we've got." Gray smirked, looking at Natsu who scowled. "Seems like the Pyro's getting his ass kicked."

"Shut up!" Natsu snapped angrily, "The real fight was just about to start, and then you waltzed in!"

"Everyone, you all found the parts of the clock!" Lucy exclaimed in delight as she spotted the surrounding figures of the other Fairy Tail Teams sent out to to search, all of whom who seemed to have arrived in the nick of time.

"Gajeel's team is here too?" Natsu muttered, spotting the Iron Dragon Slayer not far off.

"Carla's team found a Part too!" Happy grinned, spotting the white she-cat and the Clock Part beside the other members of that search team.

"Look, everyone! There's the one we found!" Romeo called, pointing toward the large piece he and the other Members of their group had found tucked away before Byro had arrived. Erza requiped into her regular armor and gave Byro a stare, he frowned.

"As you can see, we've obtained all five parts. All that's left is the clock hand you people stole from Lucy." She lift a sword toward him in warning. "And you will give it back." She growled.

"If you want it, come and get it, Titania." Byro muttered darkly, scowling.

"You stand against all of us?" Erza questioned in mild amusement. "We're going to seal away all the parts of the Clock and keep them safe. So just give that to me without protest." She muttered in a last warning.

"I can't do that. The Infinity Clock originally belonged to Zentopia. We're bound to take charge of it." Byro told her in return.

"Hmm?" Erza hummed.

"Is this true?" Lucy asked as she turned to Dan, who shrugged in return.

"Uh... This is the first I've heard of it..." Dan replied uncertainly.

"You're all in too deep, you peered at the darkness that mustn't be seen. Already, I cannot allow you to leave here alive." Byro raised his staff, Erza tensed with everyone else, sensing their fight was about to begin.

"Try it!" Erza said, Requiping into her Heaven's Wheel Armor and sending a flurry of swords out toward the man, while they combined with the force of every Fairy Tail Mage around them sending out their own attack at the Legion Commander.

"Everyone! Wait! Magic doesn't work!" Lucy called, too late as the attacks were already sent out.

"Pitiful." Byro muttered, all of the Magic seemed to slow as it was engulfed in a glow of green, and then everything disappeared into pieces- completely Nullified and Destroyed.

"So this is what Gildarts was talking about!" Gray growled.

"Even against our numbers..." Erza muttered,

"Magic doesn't work on him!" Natsu hissed, looking rather annoyed.

"Who knew he was this strong?" Erza murmured,

"For sure, this is a pain in the ass..." Gray replied, backing up toward Natsu with Erza beside him.

"No matter how many of you attack at once, it makes no difference. Against me, Wizards are no longer Wizards." Byro explained lowly.

"Right when we need Frea, she's nowhere to be seen." Erza murmured half to herself. Lucy and Romeo exchanged glances, looking around as they sweatdropped.

"That's right... Where is Frea anyway?" They asked quietly,

"Then there's nothing for it." Erza sighed,

"Well just have to beat the crap out of you with our bare hands." Gray smirked.

"Then come. Even in a physical fight I'm trained to take on 50 people at once." Byro growled.

"You're fired up too, Octo-Man?" Natsu grinned, slamming a fist into his palm.

"Be careful, he's a master of the fighting arts." Erza warned. Byro lift his staff out toward the Fairy Tail Members and smiled darkly,

"Try all you want, I will turn everyone of you to dust. You are powerless without your Magic." Byro chuckled lowly, the Fairy Tail Wizards tensed slightly, feeling an insane amount of Power begin to rise off the man.

"Try me!" Byro's head snapped up at the voice as his eyes widened to see a beacon of glowing silver appear over him, as Frea flipped in air with her arms out to the side.

"Energy Dragon Wing Attack!" She growled, coming down on him as he lift his staff and pointed it at Frea- looking to Nullify her Magic only to find it wouldn't work. He was too shocked to move, and Frea hit him with full force- wind picking up around them and hitting everyone surrounding them with the amount of Power put into the attack. Byro's yell of pain and shock rung out around them as silver flooded the ruin and the ground shook, Byro was sent flying and hit the ground hard, struggling to regain his balance.

"Frea!" The surrounding Fairy Tail members said in delight, glad to have their ace against Byro's Nullification Magic. Frea came to a halt, eyes trained on the man and glowing with the light of her Magic around her.

"No way..." Dan murmured in shock, eyes wide along with Coco as they stood beside eachother.

"Her Magic can't be Nullified by Byro...?" Coco whispered quietly,

"Good to see you." Erza murmured, smiling slightly as her fellow S-Class Wizard came to a halt. Erza's smile faded when she noticed the state Frea was already in, with the bruises, dried blood and ripped clothing. "It would seem you've already been fighting..." Frea cast a glance back at the redhead, frowning a little.

"Sorry I'm late." Frea replied, sighing a little. "I got caught up fighting Cobra..." She hissed, looking a bit annoyed. Erza stiffened at the news, eyes growing wide in surprise.

"Cobra?" She echoed, Frea nodded once and looked back to Byro- who had gotten to his feet by now and was looking extremely pissed.

"What would he be doing here..?" Gray mumbled beside Erza, who he shared a glance with. Moon floated down beside the two, having arrived not long after Frea and Erza looked to her.

"We don't know, but we think he may be here with someone else." Moon explained to the redhead quickly.

"This is impossible." Byro growled lowly, pointing his staff out toward Frea who looked back in utter calm. "No Wizard can resist my Nullification Magic."

"I'm not any normal Wizard." Frea muttered, her Magic growing about her as Byro backed up slightly. "Nullification Magic is void around me, you and you're comrades had better back off now and give us that Clock Hand- before I take it from you." Frea's voice dropped to a low hiss, her tone cold and filled with a warning. Byro looked back to her steadily, not willing to back down.

"I will not give into you, Magic or not." He muttered and Frea narrowed her eyes. "Come at me then, lets see if you can-" he broke off suddenly, eyes wide as the air suddenly felt heavy, and turned cold around them. Frea stiffened in shock at the feeling, eyes growing wide as she glanced around quickly, not sure why everything felt so dark all of the sudden.

The glow of gold in Byro's hand coming from the Clock Hand he held caught her attention and the attention of everyone else, before it was ripped from his grasp and floated through the air, accompanied by the figures of the other Clock Parts that had been collected by those in Fairy Tail. All thoughts of fighting were put on hold as Frea whipped around, watching as the Clock returned to form and hovered before them in air-

The ruin filled with the sound of the Clock letting out a series of rings that boomed continuously, shaking the air and the ruin around them as waves of sound traveled all around. Frea winced at the incredible noise, feeling the sound vibrate through her core as everything around them threatened to break down, the noise and its effect worsening her already swimming vision.

"That thing's noisy!" Natsu yelled, clapping his hands over his ears.

"It'll destroy the crypt!" Erza growled, noticing the ruins about to give way.

"What is this?" Lucy mumbled in awe,

"Hey! Lets not just stand around, we gotta hurry!" Gray snapped, Frea took a step backward and closed her eyes. A surge of Power radiated around the Clock suddenly, it hit her as much as the sound waves from the Clock's booming did.

"What's this smell?" Natsu mumbled, eyes narrowing as his nose twitched. Frea cracked her eyes open as she caught on to the scent herself, only one of which she recognized as the very same one she had come across not long before- only now noticing the appearance of several other Energy Signatures within the ruin.

"I know what it is...they're here..." Natsu growled, stepping forward as his fists clenched at his side. His eyes traveled up to a higher slope ahead of them, just as a group of people to which Cobra stood among appeared on the rise, just before the booming Clock as its noise died out, and the shaking in the ruin ceased altogether.

"Oracion Seis!" Lucy gasped, immediately recognizing the group. Moon blinked in shock, having heard stories of the time Fairy Tail had fought with the Dark Guild. Frea growled slightly, knowing the story too though she had been thought dead at the time the conflict with Oracion Seis had taken place.

"Don't they seem really different?" Gray asked lowly, noting immediately the sense of newfound Power hanging about the group. Power- Frea noted, that was no small amount between all of them.

"It looks like the members are different too." Erza told him in return, her eyes immediately picking out those who hadn't been there before.

"Three in a row! Haha, Oracion Seis-Oracion Seis-Oracion Seis! It really is Oracion Seis!" A strange figure that looked like a pink bear shouted. "No, no, no! The Reborn Oracion Seis! I'm very glad to make your acquaintance!" He corrected himself,

"Reborn Oracion Seis?!"

"That's right indeed. The Reborn Oracion Seis." The man at the head said calmly, in a tone that was no more than being mildly bored.

"Are you Midnight?!" Natsu snapped,

"That name belongs to the past. From henceforth, please remember me as Brain II." Midnight replied curtly.

"What do you mean II?! You bastards just come strolling in.. What do you want?!" Natsu yelled, his anger growing.

"I just have one wish. To carry out my fathers will. To destroy everything that has a form.." Midnight or rather, 'Brain II' said.

"You're still talking that none sense?" Erza growled lowly. Midnight gave the redhead a passing glance but decided to ignore her.

"Legion, Fairy Tail- your mission is now over." Midnight said simply, causing everyone to blink in confusion at the words. Frea's attention snapped toward the Clock as she felt the Magic of every Oracion Seis member suddenly rise up and in a glow of white, their Names appeared upon the face of the Clock.

"What the hell is that?!" Dan snapped, noticing the names as soon as they were carved.

"Dan, don't let them get it!" Byro ordered, having by now come over all of his shock.

"Alright, got it!" Dan replied, jumping forward with Byro at his side as they began to run toward the Oracion Seis members.

"You gotta be kidding! That's our line!" Natsu yelled, catching up with the two immediately, heading straight past Frea who stood at the foremost.

"The maggots are swarming." Midnight sighed. Frea stiffened, just as Midnight held a hand forward and a flash of green began to streak out toward the three running men.

"I'll knock that right back at you!" Dan hissed, lifting his shield as he planted it before him. The green simply encircled him and then detonated with a heavy boom that shook the very air, sending the man flying backward with his shield thrown away.

"The shield didn't repel it?!" Coco gasped in utter shock.

"Back off!" Byro barked at Natsu, lifting his staff.

"What!?" Natsu snapped,

"To me, all forms of Magic..." Byro muttered, but in the next instant both he and Natsu are engulfed in Magic an thrown back with a boom just as Dan was.

"What happened to his Nullification Magic?!" Gray muttered, "It should work against everyone but Frea.."

"What was that?" Erza muttered lowly a her eyes narrowed at what happened,

"It refracted the range of Byro's Magic and attacked simultaneously." The odd bear-thing from before spoke up. "That's why he's called Brain!" Frea narrowed her eyes and shook her head slightly, a feeling of lightheadedness had been growing- the poison Cobra had hit her with was still in her, though she had gotten for of a large part of it, and she could feel herself succumbing to it even if slowly.

"Ownership of the Infinity Clock is determined by the Wizard that carves his seal upon it." Midnight told them. "Therefore, just now- this Clock has become our property."

"Hey! Suddenly coming out of nowhere and snatching it away is cowardly!" Lucy snapped defensively.

"I can hear your indignation..." Cobra murmured lowly, "You're all in a state of confusion..."

"Laughable.." A man beside him murmured.

"People of the darkness like us aren't even permitted to touch this Clock. So that's why we gathered you!" The woman amongst the group laughed. Moon's eyes widened at the words,

"It was our plot!" The odd bear-thing put in.

"You..." Gray murmured lowly. It all began to come together in the heads of the Fairy Tail Wizards, Frea hissed slightly as she realized it.

"We were used..." Lucy whispered, "I don't believe it... Then why on earth... Did my father...?"

"They've been planning this..." Moon hissed lowly, her eyes traveled over toward Michelle in the same moment Frea's own eyes did the same. To them, they both knew that it was unlikely Lucy had been given that memento with her father without Oracion Seis having something to do with it... And Michelle had been the one to being it to the Guild. They had no proof of course...

"The Magic I feel coming off them..." Erza murmured with narrowed eyes.

"Its in a different league than what they had before.." Gray answered her,

"Who gives a damn?!" Natsu snapped at the two, having overheard the small exchange.

"You danced in the palm of our hand... Think of it as an honor." Cobra said in a rather bored tone, arms crossed over his chest.

"Shut the hell up!" Natsu snapped. "Why are you helping these guys anyway?! I thought we were on the same side!" Cobra sighed,

"Think again."

A vein ticked on Natsu's forehead and he leaned backward, cheeks puffing up as he let loose a flurry of spinning flame toward Oracion Seis, but in an instant the form of a man appeared before the flames- accompanied by a Magic Circle. Natsu's flames split apart, warded off by a whirl of...

"His flames were dispersed!" Gray muttered in shock,

"That's.." Erza muttered lowly, noticing the Magic used.

"Wind Magic?!" Wendy gasped, able to spot the same Magic as hers from anywhere.

"Wind..? Nothing as gentle as that.. Its a storm, a storm is coming." The man murmured in a low, monotone voice. He sat cross-legged, holding a scythe as he floated in air.

"That face, that voice... Could it be...?" Happy said suddenly,

"You're..?!" Lucy stammered, realizing what Happy seemed to.

"You saw right through him! This man was formerly in Eisenwald! He is most definitely.. Erigor!" The bear-thing laughed, apparently able to guess what the Fairy Tail Mages were thinking.

"My name is Grim Reaper." Erigor muttered.

"Erigor?!"

"Whatever! Come down here so I can beat the crap out of you!" Natsu yelled,

"Brain, how long are we gonna waste time here?" Cobra asked suddenly, he didn't look to wish to keep this up- his eyes slowly traced toward Frea who looked back at him with a deadly stare. His earlier realization hit him, he knew that if she were to come after her he would be done for- but then he noticed her sway a little, though almost imperceptibly, and he sighed a little. Finally...

"We have a grand aim don't we?" The woman asked, her eyes going toward the apparent leader.

"I know. But there's Fairy Tail... I can't forget the humiliation from seven years ago..." Midnight sighed, before he smiled slightly. "Play with them a bit, Cobra, Racer." All of Fairy Tail tensed,

"They're coming! Engage!" Erza, Requiping into her Robe of Yuen, Natsu and Gray race forward just beside her as the rest of the Fairy Tail Members prepare for the incoming attacks.

All in a single instant, the man named Racer managed to kick all three of the approaching Fairy Tail Wizards down as they crash into the earth with painful thuds.

"What was that?! I couldn't see anything!" Happy yelled, his eyes not able to follow the movements of the man as he took Gray, Erza and Natsu down.

"Damn it! What the hell is that?!" Gray snapped, pushing himself up.

"Its like another person all together, in both speed and power! What happened to his Slow Magic?!" Erza hissed,

"I don't think he's using it!" Gray muttered back, before being hit again by a flash of white that was the only indication of Racer with his newfound speed- before Erza was thrown down again and then followed by Mira, Efman, Lisanna...

"Hey, its been a long time Sky Maiden." Cobra murmured, suddenly appearing before Wendy who whipped about to face him, fists clenched at her side.

"Leave her be, Cobra." Frea placed herself before the small Dragon Slayer instantly, not looking to let the man go after Wendy under any circumstance. Cobra looked to her and frowned,

"Hmm... I already decided I do not wish to fight with you." He murmured, his hand rubbing against the bandaged arm that Frea had managed to injure. "... And I still hold to that, however-" he vanished in a sudden burst of speed, appearing behind Frea in an instant as she hissed, turning to him,

"It would seem my poison is finally getting to you."

Cobra swung his open palm into the center of Frea's back with an insane amount of force, Frea's eyes went wide as pain shot trough her entire being and she coughed out, blood springing into the air as it came up her throat, her entire body burning with fire as his Magic flowed through her with incredible speed at the contact.

She fell to her knees, wheezing and eyes shut. Blood continued to drip from the edge of her mouth as the lightheadedness she had been feeling suddenly became overwhelming, and she felt her strength fade almost entirely.

"D.. Damn it..." She hissed, had it been able to see it that easily? She had seriously misjudged how strong his Poison was, and how much of it was left inside of her... And seriously misjudged her ability to resist it.

"Frea!" Wendy gasped, her eyes wide in shock at what happened to the Energy Dragon Slayer.

"Your opponent is me!" Natsu suddenly appeared behind Frea, having seen what happened and the action against the Energy Dragon Slayer enraging him.

"Tch.. As always, your voice is abrasive!" Cobra muttered in annoyance, his fingers snapping as a wave of pressure suddenly erupted around Natsu- seemingly fueled by the pinkette's shout of fury. The pressure increased until it became a wall- and then it detonated around them, tearing up the ground and the ruin while making everything shake with the immensity of the power behind it.

Wendy, Carla, Frea and everyone around them were thrown away and knocked down by the boom. Frea hissed in pain as she hit the ground, her body burning with a newfound fire as she cringed.

"His voice... became a powerful wall of pressure..." Wendy mumbled, struggling to try and get up after being hit by the boom.

"Damn it Cobra, you bastard!" Natsu shouted, his eyes scanning around to see the damage that had been done in his effort to go after Cobra.

"I can hear your despair... Be destroyed by your own voice." Cobra snapped his fingers again, as another boom went off and Natsu was taken down as well. Cobra slowly began to walk toward the rest of Oracion Seis and paused beside Frea, who was slowly struggling to get up. For a moment, their eyes met and hey simply stared.

He couldn't beat her at full power, but she seemed to have been considerably drained before their meeting, and his Poison had finally taken hold of her. Perhaps on another day, this may have been a fair fight.

But not today.

Fairy Tail was being demolished in the presence of these new enemies, half had been taken out by Cobra and his Sound Pressure Technique alone- while the rest were steadily taken out by quick, powerful hits by Racer.

"The difference in Power between us is obvious." The woman among Oracion Seis murmured.

"Fairy Tail is weak.." Racer murmured lowly, appearing beside his comrades along with Cobra.

"Lets get going." Midnight murmured, satisfied with the payback given to those in Fairy Tail. "Angel, get rid of them."

"Understood..." The woman murmured with a small smile, "The cost is 30.." She paused, just as three shining coins appeared before her. "I was once the maiden who walked with the Celestial Spirits.. I was a child then. But now, as my name implies, I am an angel! You think that Spirits can stand up against an angel? I'll show you some beautiful Angel Magic. But before that, people will grovel before me in despair. And sacrifice their own lives!" Her face twisted into a deadly smirk and Frea stiffened as the woman began to glow with radiant light- and her Power suddenly surged, dangerous, potent...

"Look at the power that ones from the light in my own name! I summon the angel that calls forth victory... Barakiel! Protect the seal and seal away this burial ground!"

Frea hissed, her eyes narrowing against the glow as the feel of Angel's Magic grew exponentially, and she perceived the figure of a stone angel appearing before them- just as everything began to shake and they were engulfed in the white brilliance.

Frea could feel the ruin giving in to collapse as sections of it began to tumble down, and she glanced around quickly- everyone was out, and she was following fast... But they were going to be buried, and that wasn't something she was willing to let happen... But her eyes were falling and she was finding it hard to stay awake, the poison in her body was working too fast, and the exhaustion of using so much Magic all throughout the day was coming on fast too...

The white was clashed against with a single moment of silver, before her mind fell away into black and everything was lost around her...

---

"F... rea...?"

The blurry outline of someone came to her amongst the darkness... It was moving about, everything was in slow motion... She couldn't focus on anything.. Couldn't see anything clearly.. Everything was too fuzzy, too dark...

What's going on...? W... What happened...?

Everything was hazy... They had been... Fighting, right...? And then... Yeah, that woman... She collapsed the ruin on top of us... Damn it...

The black about her swirled, the figure before her was lost and she felt her body shift- they were floating, moving fast...

But shouldn't... We be buried...?

---

Frea jolted up, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as she struggle to gain her bearings, her gaze sweeping around the place frantically. Her heart beat faster than ever, her body was aching with a dull fire, she was covered in sweat and she felt extremely frayed...

She blinked, sweatdropping when she finally registered where she was. Someone had laid her down on a couch, a damp cloth fell into her lap where it had been on her forehead, and she had been given a t-shirt to replace the torn one she had been wearing.

She narrowed her eyes, gaze still lingering on blurry and quite lightheaded from moving so fast. She felt hot, and her body ached... Oh right, Cobra had poisoned her, she could still taste the blood she had started coughing on her tongue.

Her eyes swept about the room, taking into account the decor and the fact that every other Fairy Tail member that had been in the ruin along with her, they were all unconscious and spread about the room on different couches and such. She allowed herself a small sigh, relieved they hadn't been crushed under the collapsing ruin...

Her eyes switched toward the smaller couch next to her, where she smiled a little to see Moon fast asleep. She rubbed the top of the grey Exceed's head slightly, before slowly swinging her legs from the couch and sighing as pain flared up in her body, she stifled the wince.

She recognized the building almost immediately though, even despite her hazy vision. How they got here though, she didn't have a clue...

"Oh! Frea dear, you're awake!" She blinked in surprise at the voice, her head snapping in the direction of Master Bob as he appeared next to her, hands clasped together before him and smiling slightly, but still looking quite worried.

"Master Bob.." she murmured.

"Good to see you up. Men~!" In the next instant, Ichiya was before her too and she blinked again.

"Ichiya.."

"You're the first one up too, quite a surprise after what happened." Bob murmured, "You have quite the fever you know, you've been sick since Ichiya found you." He sighed, a hand resting against his cheek as he tilted his head at her, his eyes sympathetic. "Not surprising really, not with all the Magic you used up keeping the ruins from burying everyone completely. You must be exhausted!" Frea stiffened a little, now what did he say...?

"I was impressed with how long you kept your dome up around your Guild," Ichiya spoke up. "You must have been holding the ruin up around you for quite awhile before I finally made it there. And you held it up right to the point I managed to get all of you out, men~!"

Frea glanced between the two of them quickly, blinking a few times. She had what?

"You... You're saying, I placed a dome around us back in the ruin?" She asked quietly, Ichiya and Bob paused a moment, exchanging quick glances with one another.

"Frea dear..." Master Bob said slowly, "You don't remember doing that...?"

"No..." Frea murmured, her eyes closing as she tried to recall it.

Master Bob and Ichiya glanced to one another again, nodding slightly. They had discussed it before Frea woke up, just as Ichiya had come back with everyone. What he said had happened, he had come upon the ruin worried that the people of Fairy Tail had been crushed underneath the rubble and destruction, but what he had found was most shocking.

The rubble inside the ruin was being held up by a massive dome of silver, and inside it were those in Fairy Tail, everyone unconscious but the one.

Frea was surrounded in silver as her Magic continued to flow and keep the weight of the ruin above it from toppling down upon her and her Guild-Mates.

But it wasn't just a dome.

But even outside her dome, the falling debris was... Stopped. It was fixed in air, floating... As silver specks of Magic floated about the air around it, her Magic keeping everything in a complete stand still... The air had been laced with an extreme sense of Magic, Magic that stifled the person breathing, radiated in massive waves- all of it Magic belonging to Frea.

Ichiya couldn't remember seeing so much Power come from Frea on any other occasion, because she was using an extreme amount of Magic that flowed from her continuously. But even at the time, he noticed that she wasn't necessarily awake and controlling her actions. No, it had seemed Frea was acting unconsciously, her body doing so of its own will all in effort to protect her Guild, though her mind must have long given in before then.

Neither Ichiya nor Master Bob had been assuming Frea would remember what she had done, simply because she hadn't been consciously doing it.

Frea sweatdropped. She recognized this feeling, this feeling of being drained after a long time of nothing but black. She had felt this way... After Fairy Sphere was dispelled back on Tenrou. Was it possible... She had been unconsciously using her Magic? Just as she was said to have been doing during those Seven Years they were trapped on Tenrou?

"No matter." Master Bob said suddenly. "At least all of you are safe, and that is all that counts." Frea nodded slightly,

"You said.. You brought us here, Ichiya?" She asked, glancing to said man who nodded.

"Indeed I did, I felt something was amiss and naturally came to your aid!" He replied,

"Then... Thank you, for saving everyone. I appreciate it." Frea murmured, sighing silently.

"Not a problem, men~!"

"How are you feeling, Frea?" Bob asked gently, leaning in slightly as the worry worked its way into his voice again. "You gave us quite the scare you know," Frea sweatdropped a little and smiled slightly,

"Sorry for worrying you guys, but I feel alright actually." She murmured, "I'm just happy no one else was hurt."

"None the less, if you're feeling better or not- stay still and rest some more. No use trying to overdo it so quickly." Bob told her firmly and she nodded, being reminded quite well of Master Makarov and Porlyusica alike-despite the gentle facade about him.

"You got it," she smiled a little.

"Now, could you tell us what happened?" Bob went on, Frea blinked.

"I'm not entirely aware of all the details myself," she murmured. "But from what I can make out, we were tricked into collecting the parts to the Infinity Clock- which is what is supposedly supposed to end the world." They stiffened a little. "Right when we brought the parts together, they combined and the ah.. 'Reborn' Oracion Seis showed up, and kicked our asses before pulling the ruins down. They took the Clock- and I figure they aim something along the lines of destroying the world with it."

"Reborn Oracion Seis?" Ichiya murmured, "Then... Would that mean you were..?"

"Poisoned?" She murmured, nodding a little. "Yes,"

"But I thought Cobra was past all of that since the GMG?" Bob sighed,

"I thought that too, but then he spouted something about 'paying back a debt'." Frea murmured lowly.

"What a waste... That young man is going down the wrong road doing this.." Bob murmured, earning a nod from Frea and Ichiya alike. "At any rate, I called Makarov and told him that all of you were safe and we were looking after you. You'll stay here until all of you are rested up and good to start off again." Frea nodded a little,

"Oh, and I also heard about your promotion!" Bob grinned and Frea blinked, promotion... Oh...

"Promotion?!" Ichiya exclaimed beside her, suddenly excited as he pointed both fingers toward her. "Has it finally happened?! Have you finally been given the credit you deserved and moved to the rank of;" he began to shine in his vigor and Frea leaned away, sweatdropping at the sudden reaction.

"S-CLASS?! Men~!"

"Please... Calm down..." Frea mumbled, feeling suddenly flustered as she winced at the sound of his voice amongst the relatively quite room. "Its no big deal..."

"Oh, but it is quite a big deal!" Ichiya went on, his voice lowering only slightly. "This marks a momentous change in your life as a Wizard! You've finally become what you should have been so very long ago, and now you warrant the respect and authority of a high-ranking Mage within your Guild and the Wizard society- you..." Frea sighed as she tuned him out in his ranting,

"Not that you never had everyone's respect before, mind you." Bob chuckled a little as he caught her attention. "You've always been given authority even when you were at the regular Mage level, nothing's changed really- but I will say it was about time Makie promoted you." Frea blinked a few times and smiled slightly, nodding a little.

"I suppose that's true..."

---

"Men!" Ichiya murmured, his face leaning over Natsu's as the pinkette's eyes slowly opened.

Natsu's eyes went wide as he let out a shout of surprise, jolting up only to butt heads with the man above him, sending them both cringing. "Damn it!" Natsu hissed, holding his now aching head.

"Natsu! You regained consciousness!" Happy exclaimed, floating over once he saw his Partner up and moving.

"Ugh... Huh? Where are we?" Natsu murmured, looking around quickly in confusion.

"Blue Pegasus!" Happy answered, plopping himself down beside pinkette.

"Blue Pegasus?!" Natsu echoed,

"Did you remember my Parfum?" Ichiya asked, sliding up next to the couch.

"You saved me?" Natsu asked, receiving a nod, before Natsu's eyes widened. Before him, the memory of that bright light hitting them resurfaced. "Where's everyone else?!" Natsu shouted,

"Worry not. They are all just fine." Ichiya smiled slightly, "No one is seriously injured, so we're letting them rest a bit. Men~!" Natsu blinked, before the image of seeing Frea collapse after getting hit by Cobra came to mind and he sweatdropped.

"That means Frea too?" He asked quickly and Ichiya blinked.

"I'm fine, Natsu." His head snapped around to see Frea sitting at a table nearby with Gajeel, Moon, Lily, Wendy, Carla and Levy with her. Her head rest on the table top, she had looked over as he came to and had heard his question easily, she took her head from her arms and gave him a small smile, her fangs flashing. "Relax." He paused a moment, noticing the exhaustion hanging about her but she seemed relatively ok...

"Alright..." Natsu murmured, sighing slightly.

"Oh! Natsu is up too?!" Master Bob appeared beside the pinkette who jumped slightly.

"Natsu!" Lucy called happily, sitting nearby at a bar with Gray and Erza.

"Jeez, how long were you gonna sleep?" Gray muttered.

"You better give your thanks, without them we would still be buried." Erza told him firmly,

"Its incrediable, Ichiya is the one who saved us from under all that wreckage." Lucy told the pinkette as he moved closer,

"Oh really? Thanks." Natsu grinned.

"We're comrades who fought together, I need no thanks." Ichiya replied earnestly.

"I'm grateful, Master Bob." Erza said to the man as he moved behind the counter, but he shook his head a little and smiled slightly.

"Oh, but we can't take all the credit for your rescue." Master Bob murmured, a hand pressing against his cheek as he leaned against the bar counter. "Because without Frea, you'd have all been crushed and buried before we even got there."

Erza blinked a few times with everyone else near, before her eyes glanced toward the Energy Dragon Slayer listening contently to Levy, Wendy and Gajeel talk amongst themselves, occasionally glancing toward the conversation that Lily and Moon had started with Carla listening as well.

"Really?" Erza murmured and Bob nodded, then Erza smiled slightly. "I suppose its usually because of Frea we make it out of situations like that..."

"Where are the other guys?" Natsu asked of Ichiya.

"Hibiki and the others are in another land for a different matter. Men~!" Ichiya answered.

"Here's Lyon?"

"Ichiya dropped him off at Lamia Scale." Lucy explained.

"And Legion?" Natsu muttered, a frown appearing across his face.

"I didn't see anyone there but you."

"I see... " Natsu growled, his head falling a little.

"What's wrong?" Lucy asked,

"Those bastards... Damnit... They were toying with us, next time- we're gonna kick they're asses! " Natsu snapped, earning a nod of approval from anyone listening.

"In the coming battle, you have my support." Ichiya told him.

"I know I can rely on you." Erza murmured with a small smile. Lucy blinked, glancing around suddenly as she noticed the absence of a particular person.

"Where's Michelle?"

Frea eyes closed, knowing full well that Michelle had disappeared from the building- but she hadn't the energy to go looking now. She noticed Moon's ears twitch a little to indicate she had heard too, but it would seem her Exceed Partner was more focused on her conversation than where Michelle may be.

"Hey, Silver." Her attention snapped to the present when a voice growled her name and she recognized it immediately as Gajeel. Her eyes switched toward him to see his conversation with Levy and Wendy had ceased, and she blinked.

"Yeah?" She asked, Gajeel just gave her a flat stare somewhere between exasperation and annoyance.

"The kid asked you a question." He huffed, gesturing toward a very embarrassed Wendy who sat closest to her beside Moon and Lily. Wendy laughed nervously, sweatdropping a little as Frea blinked,

"Oh, ah... Sorry Wendy, I was lost in thought." She apologized quickly, she hadn't honestly heard Wendy say anything.

"I just asked how you were feeling is all." Wendy murmured, "You've been rather silent and I thought I smelled..." She broke off a little and just looked at Frea, who looked back in confusion at the sudden silence.

The next instant, Wendy's hand was pressed against her forehead and she sighed a little, heading a small gasp from Wendy at how hot she was to the touch.

"You have a really high fever!" Wendy exclaimed, brining Moon and Lily's attention to them, Frea sighed again and closed her eyes, pulling away and resting her chin in her hand.

"I know..." She murmured, "But it isn't that bad... I'm just tired is all, you don't have to worry about it Wendy..."

"But why didn't you say something? I mean, I remembered what happened back at the ruins but you seemed fine..." Wendy pressed, not quite deterred at Frea's answer. "I could have already healed you." Frea paused a minute, her eyes resting on Wendy in silence.

"Its not... A big deal. I really am fine, there's no need to worry- it'll go away soon." Frea promised, receiving a disbelieving look from Wendy, but she gave in none the less, albeit a bit reluctantly.

Moon's eyes narrowed a little at her Partner, not sure why she wasn't willing to let Wendy heal her... But then she blinked. Frea had a fever, but not because of the poison she would guess- we had a fever because she had been drained of Magic so quickly.

Magic Deficiency Syndrome... Even if it was a minor form of it. And if that was the case, Wendy's Magic would do very little- she couldn't replace anyone's Magic Energy, and Frea knew that. Moon sighed slightly, sweatdropping as she watched her Partner reassure the small Dragon Slayer with a smile and even reassure the others nearby who had overheard everything.

She was a bit worried about Frea, yes... But at this point, she was getting a bit more used to the fact that Frea was usually in a mess, and she had faith that the Energy Dragon Slayer would pull through- she had proved capable of that many a time over now. But even then, she decided to keep an eye on Frea just in case she got worse of started faltering.

That was her job now, more than ever. To look after Frea and make sure she was there if the Energy Dragon as layer started to fall. Frea needed someone to look after her just as much as Frea looked after everyone else- and she wasn't the only one who felt that way.

It was something many of the other Members had started to feel too, with all Frea did for them over and over without asking for more, it was probably past time they started repaying all the favors she had done for them.

---

It has been a very long time I know, I am alive though and in light of the seriously long wait- here is an extra long chapter- the longest yet I believe. I apologize for the wait, but school is coming to a close and to be quite honest- writing anything has been a struggle recently.

Either way, I hope you all enjoy this chapter and I am super happy to see that there are some new readers in my absence! Thank you, all of you, who have been so very patient with me! I appreciate it more than you know.

Please, follow, fav and Review if you can! Thanks!