Ladies and Gentlemen, it's the moment you've been waiting for! Finally, after all this time, Bambietta Basterbine, along with Candice Catnipp, are finally getting to battle their opponent! But who exactly is the upcoming enemy!? Well, with only a few choices left, I'm quite sure that you'll be able to have at least a pretty good idea of who they're up against. I really, truly do hope that this chapter manages to deliver and that you find yourself quite entertained. Please, show your support by leaving us a review so we can get some good feedback. It's truly appreciated.

Also, I'd like to give a big, heartfelt welcome to my new beta read! Callous! He's been very helpful with fixing and correcting any and all mistakes I made so I can't thank him enough.!

Now, I do believe I've kept you all waiting long enough.

LET'S GET THINGS STARTED! QUINCY FIGHT ALL SET, READY, GO!

Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo and Shönen Jump. Fairy Tail is owned by Hiro Mashima and Weekly Shönen Magazine. I own NOTHING. This is all just for fun.

The Tower of Heaven. Despite the divine nature of its name, there was nothing holy or sanctified about it. It was a place created out of sheer malice by the worshipers of the infamous black wizard, Zeref. Hundreds of lives had been ruined by this abomination of a tower, be it those who had been enslaved, those who died trying to resist, or those who lost their homes and family from the raids waged by the mad cultists. Currently, however, a battle was being fiercely fought within the tower. 13 brave and powerful warriors were putting their lives on the line, fighting against the odds, for the sole purpose of saving their precious comrade, Erza Scarlet.

It was for this reason that Sylphia Nelia Labelle, the Goddess of Camaraderie, had been paying close attention to the events unfolding within the tower from her own divine dimension. Normally, as the Goddess of Camaraderie, it was her duty to bestow those going through hardships for the sake of their comrades with the ability to partially unlock their latent potential in order to achieve victory. Unfortunately for her, however, this was one such incident where she was forbidden from doing any such thing. The reason for this wasn't out of a lack of desire to fulfill her role as a goddess, but rather due to the beings from another world that were currently present in this conflict.

One of the many rules that had been established early on for the war between the two factions of the gods was the prevention of them giving direct assistance to champions from their own faction. At most, they were only allowed to reveal certain information regarding the world and the status of the war. The only reason she had been allowed to intervene more personally with Bambietta during their first meeting was to simply save a champion on their own side from being slain too early and she had only known of Giselle's allegiance thanks to Ankhseram informing her. The identity of which side the warriors Fairy Tail currently faced, however, was completely unknown to her, thus making it impossible for her to intervene once again.

To her immense relief, however, she had come to see that her assistance in this matter had thus far been unnecessary. While the battles had indeed been difficult, Fairy Tail had managed to win each and every one of their battles purely on their own merits. She couldn't help but smile with pride then as she watched on. "I should have known that you would emerge victoriously. How silly of me to doubt-"

"Ah, I had a feeling that I would find you worrying about those mortals. I'll never understand how some deities can feel any sort of attachment to such inferior beings."

Slowly, Sylphia turned around to see a small being hovering above the ground. At first glance, he would appear to be rather harmless, his appearance resembling a tiny old man with a long white beard, eyebrows that went up to his bald head, and an eyepatch over his left eye. His right hand clung to his cane, which was twice his own height as he slowly floated over to Sylphia. The goddess shook her head at his words before she looked back at the tower. "I wouldn't expect the God of Scheming to see the value in human lives as I do, Schema."

Many of the major gods had several minor gods under their employ. Unlike Sylphia, Schema was a minor deity, a demi-god who worked under the employ of Astuzia, the God of Cunning. For him to come to her, one of the most powerful deities in all of Earthland must have meant that he was no doubt sent here on Astuzia's orders. "What exactly brings you here, Schema? If you detest humans so much, then I fail to see why you would be so interested in this conflict."

"You're correct in that this petty human squabble would normally be beneath me." Schema said as he floated right over to Sylphias side. "But several of those mages of Fairy Tail are the respective warriors of your faction, are they not? In fact…I do believe that your warrior, Miss Basterbine, is your faction's chosen champion."

Sylphia's eyes widened at Schema's revelation. 'How did he figure out she was the one we had bestowed the divine power to Bambietta? Only I and Ankhseram should have such knowledge among the divine!' Could it have been through the many times Bambietta had used the Shining Finger technique Sylphia had bestowed upon the Quincy? No, that alone would not have been enough to ascertain that information. No doubt Astuzia had figured it out for him, the God of Cunning being one of the smartest deities in Earth land. It was the only logical conclusion she could come to based on what information she already had. "And so what if she is, Schema? You are forbidden from giving assistance to the warriors from Death's Head Caucus any assistance due to the rules of the competition."

"Ah, but I've already given them my aid. At least...Indirectly." Schema said with a sly grin. "It's true that I cannot bless the opposing side with any power or go down there to assist them myself, but I am able to give them indirect assistance in the form of the guild they had already joined. Tell me, Sylphia, why do you think it is that Death's Head Caucus sent their entire guild on this mission, along with their guild master? It's because I told them to. Without my insistence, they probably would have only sent a few of their members. But now...your side has the entire guild to deal with."

Sylphia narrowed her eyes at Schema after his grand revelation but spoke calmly. "Then I regret to inform you that your plan has failed. Despite the bulk of the forces they fight against, Fairy Tail has continued to emerge victorious in this battle. Your plan-"

"Is not even remotely close to coming to fruition." Schema interrupted her. "It's true that they have yet to have killed anyone from your side as of yet, but most of them are of little concern to me. No, the one I wished for them to slay more than any other...is Bambietta Basterbine, your champion!" He let out a soft cackle before continuing his ramble. "Tell me, how much of the divine power you've bestowed Miss Basterbine can she actually control? From what I've seen, she can only channel about 1% of it in her right hand. With such little control over the powers of Distruzione, the former Goddess of Destruction, your champion is easy pickings as she is now."

He then burst out in a cackle of laughter as he looked at Sylphia. "Oh it's such a shame that you're prevented from teaching her how to properly utilize that power, but alas, her lack of experience will be her downfall. I specifically asked Dyspute to assign his most powerful assassin to eliminate her, and with the power she currently has, your champion's demise is all but guaranteed!"

Syphia turned to look at him then, eyes closed. It was a warm smile, one that should have let instant relief wash over any who had it turned upon them. Coming from the Goddess of Camaraderie, it might have done just that. However, there was always that possibility which left him somewhat on edge. Then did Sylphia speak, giving rise to any concerns he had through her choice of words and tone. "Is that what you think? Miss Basterbine is so much stronger than you give her credit for. She may not have much control over that power now...but emotions are quite the powerful thing, Schema...and given what's at stake in this battle I think you'll learn this lesson first hand."

She looked back to the tower then, more than confident in her champion's chances. 'I know you'll prove me right, Bambietta.'

"You know, all things considered, things are going really, really well," Bambietta said to her partner as she and Candice Catnipp strolled the floors of the Tower of Heaven. "I mean, yeah it sucks that our vacation has been all but ruined, but considering no one's died yet, I think we're on a crash course towards victory!"

"Well, you sure changed your tune," Candice said with a grin. "A few minutes ago you were having an extreme panic attack because of Wendy...Not that I blame you or anything, but still."

"Oh, like you weren't worried about Jade," Bambietta commented. "I can practically imagine the worry in your eyes clear as day when she started fighting."

"Yeah, I didn't exactly want to lose one of my best friends either, but unlike you, I actually had faith she could still pull it off before the fight even began. You didn't think Wendy even remotely stood a chance until she quickly proved herself against that psychopath."

Bambietta wanted to say something in relation but found that she couldn't. She had, admittedly, been extremely worried for Wendy when she clashed with Shrieker and Dyspute had forced her and Candice to watch on helplessly. But, thanks to Rukia's training, Bambietta's words of encouragement, and Wendy's talent as a mage, the Arrancar serial killer was soundly defeated. Truthfully, Bambietta couldn't have been more proud of Wendy right now if she tried. All of her fears that Bambietta had for her had been for nothing it seemed. Wendy was exceptionally strong for her age and would no doubt grow to become a powerful mage.

That was to say nothing for how much stronger Lucy had gotten as well. Her Fullbring had only just awoken, and yet she was already more powerful than Bambietta was when she had first ended up in Fiore. She still wasn't quite as strong as the likes of Natsu or Gray, but the fact remained that her lover had closed the gap rather considerably with her recent power-up. 'Maybe I can start training with her after all.' Bambietta thought before the two of them entered into the next clearing for the tower of heaven.

Their eyes widened as they slowly walked inside. What they were seeing shouldn't have been possible. For before their eyes, the two could see a vast city, larger than Magnolia, endorsed with countless oriental-style buildings and with large mountains in the distance. Currently, the two were on a long, fancy bridge surrounded by a massive lake, many rows of Torii gates seen across its length.

"Ok, I'm not a physics major or anything, but I'm pretty damn sure there is no way in hell all of this could fit in here!" Candice exclaimed loudly. "It's like we're in a small country!"

"I mean, we're in a world full of magic. I guess anything is possible." Bambietta commented. "Not like our world wasn't full of some strange stuff."

An unnervingly calm voice called through the spacious room then, echoing all around it. "These angels face Hell... Their foolish strength will shatter... My blade shears all hope..."

Down the wooden walk did a woman in a white kimono begin to walk forward, a sheathed sword in hand. Her eyes were closed as she approached both Quincies, her soothing and sharp voice joined only by the sound of her wooden sandals. "Though perhaps I speak ill of Jellal's tower," the woman said as she stopped and opened her emerald eyes. "It is, after all, meant to be a stairway to Heaven. Then again..." The woman's right hand gripped the handle of her katana, still keeping it sheathed. "As you will learn, O angels, it is Hell to get to Heaven."

"That's... weirdly fucked up, not gonna lie," Bambietta said, stopping in place. The samurai was nearly fifty feet away, but the Quincy was sure she had heard what she had heard. "Well, the joke's on you, Jellal flunkie-!"

The woman kept her calm, not letting Bambietta rile her up. "I am Ikaruga, one of the three who make up Trinity Raven, and I have journeyed here to take your lives. As for why the scenery has changed so drastically, it's quite simple. What you are seeing before is simply a small reality dimension of my own making to avoid damaging the tower that you've simply wandered into. As you can see, it's quite massive."

Bambietta, too, was unphased, but was willing to try again to rile up the obvious assassin all the same. "Well, the joke's on you, Ikaruga, one of the three who make up Virginity Cave In or whatever the hell you said over there, the last one who took my life did a crap-ass job keeping her hands on it, so good luck keeping this good Quincy down. Besides, have you seen our afterlife!? It's Hell to get to Hell! As for killing us, good luck because I ain't going down without a fight!"

Candice nodded. "Yeah!"

Bambietta continued. "And my lemon and lime-haired buddy here? She ain't got a life to take, so hah!"

Candice nodded again. "Yeah- HEY! I don't need to take that from a Star Wars nerd!"

Bambietta glared at her, muttering under her breath. "At least I camped outside a theater for two weeks to see The Empire Strikes Back! You did it for Grease 2!"

Candice called right back. "We don't speak about that movie!"

Ikaruga stepped forward, her clogs hitting the wood hard enough to draw the attention of both bickering Quincies. "I've no idea of what you two speak, but I ask that we dispense with the foolishness and fight. I am an assassin, after all, one in the service of Jellal Fernandes, and sending you two into death's sweet embrace is my job."

"Again..." Bambietta shouted, "I've felt 'death's sweet embrace!' It sucked and was all sorts of cringey!"

"...You know that was kinda cringey in and of itself, right?" Candice told Bambietta. "I mean, really?"

Bambietta huffed, putting her arms over her chest. "Look, I just got over a lot of stress, so you're going to have to get way the hell off my back on that one!" She quickly brought her attention to the Quincy at hand then, a bow transforming into her hand instantly, Candice doing the same. Despite the joking attitude she had displayed moments ago, however, the Quincy was actually quite concerned. Normally, Bambietta would relish the challenge. She was a brawler through and through, and the stronger the foe always meant for a more entertaining battle to prove herself. But this was no ordinary opponent. The reiatsu she was sensing from the swordswoman was intense, easily eclipsing her own, and Erza in even her most powerful armors. 'Damn it, we may have just run into someone outside of our league here!'

"Oh fuck, I remember her now," Candice spoke. "She's the one that beat Ulquiorra. I think Levy said she's the strongest in Death's Head Caucus aside from their guild master."

"Oh, lovely," Bambietta remarked. "You're sure she's the strongest?" She then internally groaned. 'Oh goodie, this is gonna be like my own version of Obi-wan and Qui Gon vs Darth Maul isn't it?' She then glanced over to Candice. 'Well, she's the one with the green motif, so I should be fine-' Bambietta then shook her head as she realized she was losing herself to her inner nerd. 'Damn it, Bambi, focus!'

"The strongest? But of course." Ikagura took a step closer, still keeping a grip on her blade. "And while I had so wished to face Titania Erza, I was asked personally by my guild master to slay you, Miss Basterbine."

"Wait, what!? What the hell did I do to piss him off!?" Bambietta demanded.

Ikaruga shook her head. "I cannot say, my master refused to go into specific detail, but it matters not. I'm here to do my job, and that means killing you. Still, I do hope that you'll be able to challenge me in the place of Titania. Hopefully, between your quiet friend from the casino and you two, I will be satisfied. And if you will not come to me..."

Another step then, and Ikaruga covered much ground, appearing between both Bambietta and Candice, metal glinting in the light as her sword began to leave its scabbard.

"...then I will simply come to you."

'She's fast!' The two Quincies thought as their eyes widened in surprise. Bambietta and Candice's bows quickly transformed into blades, the Sternritters attempting to strike down the dark mage with a powerful slash of their swords!

However, Ikaruga's blade, still only partially unsheathed, caught both Quincy weapons and blocked them. Still, it was enough to keep her sword momentarily out of action. "Hmm, not bad," Ikaruga said, a wild gleam in her eyes. "I suppose I will need to resort to greater measures than my Reduced Earth. Good, if mere skill will not be enough, then magic may be of need... Yasha's Empty Flash."

Ikaruga did not move, not an inch, but still did a cut appear on Bambietta and Candice each, blood spurting out from their shoulders.

Grunting out in pain, the two Quincies dashed away from Ikaruga with Hirenkyaku, their bows now drawn. Now facing her on opposing sides, Candice grinned. "Alright, let's see you get a load of this!" Both she and Bambietta fired their arrows at Ikaruga in rapid succession, each Quincy managing to have fired about several dozen arrows each. As the arrows reached their target, the two moved with Hirenkyaku once more, this time appearing above her and firing two massive Heilig Pfeil at the swordswoman.

Ikaruga saw all the attacks coming. "How quaint. Garuda's Flame!" The assassin unsheathed her blade from its scabbard, Mugetsu-Ryu becoming sheathed in something else then, a magical fire. Ikaruga spun on her heels gracefully, letting the fire spread around her in a wreath of destruction, burning away the spiritual arrows that had descended upon her. "There is nothing under the sun that my sword cannot slice, that my magic cannot destroy."

'Arrows aren't going to cut it!' Bambietta hurriedly formed an Explode orb in her right hand.

"Candi, Schrifts, now!"

"Way ahead of you!" Candice replied "Galvano Blast!" Her bow fired a massive arrow of electricity at Ikaruga then, the bolt of lightning sped towards the pink-haired samurai!

"Hmm?" Ikaruga felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, a slight crackle of electrical magic having danced across the magic particles all throughout the arena. She turned then in a blink of an eye, Mugetsu-Ryu splitting the javelin into little more than errant sparks that sputtered out. Ikagruga stood motionless for a second, smirking as she held her sword out at the side as if daring the twin Quincy to come closer. "There is nothing under this world's sun that my blade cannot slice. Not even lightning itself."

"Oh yeah!?" Bambietta cried out as she appeared right above Ikaruga, both of her hands now filled with orbs powered by her Schrift! "Let's see what happens when your katana runs into my "Explode!" She began to toss her orbs of destructive reishi at Ikaruga then, quickly formed two more in the palms of her hand before tossing them as well. Volley after volley was tossed her way, the Quincy wanting to ensure a hit!

Ikaruga held her ground, performing a single slash before sheathing her sword. Magic slashes appeared for the briefest of moments all around her, exploding with power only as her blade clicked into place within its scabbard. The Explode's orbs connected with them all, not able to pierce the makeshift barrier around Ikaruga in that split second, all of them splitting in half and making the faintest of blasts.

"Little more than firecrackers in the end," Ikaruga said calmly as she looked over her shoulder at Bambietta as she landed on her feet behind. "Though they did perhaps singe my hair. However, I told you that my Mugetsu-Ryu can cut anything beneath the sun. And your Explode is still just a thing that basks in its light. My eyes can perceive all that they have to in order to disrupt your magic. My speed and reflexes can capitalize on it. My sword can do what must be done. You cannot and will not win."

"Wait a second...Mugetsu Ryu?" Bambietta spoke before she groaned. "Oh yeah, that's a great sign of things to come. I swear to God, if you start going all black on us, I'm gonna be so freaking pissed." Still, despite her flippant attitude, Bambietta could feel her fists clench and teeth grit in anger at the samurai's words. She wasn't even remotely taking them seriously, was she!? 'This bitch really thinks she can just write us off like that!?' Bambietta thought before she glared at her. "But regardless, I can, and I will win, you two-bit geisha hasbin! I didn't come to this tower to hear your higher-than-thou bullshit! I came here to save one of the people I owe my life to, and you can damn well bet I'm not gonna let you stop us!"

Her eyes met Candice's before the two reappeared right in front of Ikaruga, their swords once more formed into their hands before the pair began to slice at Ikaruga with furious swings. A flurry of blades came from the two, each trying their damnedest to land so much as a single blow!

Throughout the feudal interior did the Quincies work in tandem against not only the leader of Trinity Raven but its supreme assassin as well. Where Bambietta bobbed, Candice weaved. When one fell back, the other pressed on. The current exchange of blows with the sword was a joy to Bambietta, to an extent, as this was what she had been hoping for during the second invasion so long ago. To fight beside her friends, to enjoy their company as they vanquished their foes. As she had found herself standing alone against the enemy, she had hoped for it to happen regardless. When she had been beaten and lay dying, she had lost all hope of it ever happening. When she had been used against her will by her friends, she had wished never to fight with them ever again.

Yet now... now she was happy to be with Candice once more in the thick of battle. They were like oil and... oil, too similar to each other that they would always butt heads in their daily lives. But in battle? They were a perfect match, their sword skills complementing each other even without the aid of their Schrifts.

Not that they had reason not to use them. As things were right now, the two had yet to land a single blow, and they couldn't afford to let this continue for much longer. As Bambietta's sword clashed with Ikaruga's own, the Quincy let slip a small orb of the Explode, one that detonated a plank of wood between them. It kicked up a blast and smoke, obscuring the immediate environment.

Candice took that moment for what it was, worth, electricity bursting around the magic particles summoned to her soles. She sped around Ikaruga, her Hirenkyaku faster than many other Sternritters. So fast was it that it let loose a veritable sonic boom, what Candice dubbed her "thunder." It gave her little element of surprise, leaving her to hope the obscuring smoke would give her an opening nonetheless. And because of that, she could not help but scream her attack's name. "Ride the Lightning!"

Still, Ikaruga cut through the smoke with her blade, destabilizing it as she whirled around, dropping her sword. Bambietta furrowed her brow, wondering why the wizard assassin would plunge it into the wood floor tip first. She considered stepping in to take it for herself, Bambietta fancying the design... but then she saw Ikaruga catching Candice's blade between her palms as she turned. "Sorry, but I think it's about time I took this a little more seriously," Ikaruga spoke.

"Oh, that's straight-up bullshi-!" Candice never got to finish the sentence, a clogged foot slamming into her pelvis right above her belt buckle and sending her sailing away. The Quincy smashed into the far wall, gasping. "D-damn it..." Candice gasped as she fell away from the wall, debris falling around her. "D-Don't be too cocky, pinky. It's not like you stopped it with... one finger..."

Bambietta leaped in from behind, sword brandished. "In fact, I dare you to try! I suggest the middle finger!"

Ikaruga vanished from sight, grabbing her sword as she did so and leaving Bambietta's blade to splinter like wood. The Quincy blinked in surprise as she looked at her sword in shock before she spoke. "You know, I saw that sort of thing a lot back home," Bambietta said as she turned to look at Ikaruga. "Hated it then, hating it now."

"This...this isn't working." Candice gasped out as she used Hirenkyaku to appear near Bambietta. "If we keep this up, we're gonna-"

"Die? Yeah, kinda figured that." Bambietta said as she gritted her teeth. "Fuck, this is really is Obi-wan and Qui Gon vs Darth Maul for us isn't it?!"

"How did that go?" Candice asked her friend out of curiosity and not wanting to think about the current situation at the moment.

"Well, the good guys win, but the guy with the green lightsaber..." Bambietta's words trailed off before placing her hand on Candice's shoulder. "Well, it's been nice knowing you, Candi."

"Oh, will you fuck off!?" Candice yelled as she got ready with her blades once again. "As for this bitch here, do you have any ideas?" While Liltotto was the one who usually came up with the group's battle strategies, Bambietta had proven on multiple occasions to have been a surprisingly apt tactician, certainly more so than herself. She knew when to refer to Bambietta's leadership.

Bambietta stared at Ikaruga, her mind going through all sorts of various ideas, each one ending in complete failure in her mind until one finally came into her mind...and she didn't like it. "Ugh, damn it all, I really don't like resorting to using this right now, but I guess we got no choice. We gotta try Blitzrakete Schritt."

Blitzrakete Schritt (Lightning Rocket Step). A technique created by the Wandenreich to try to tap into the power of Hirenkyaku for prolonged high-speed combat by concentrating the power of Blut Arterie solely into the blood-vessels of the Quincy's legs while adding in a step for extra movement, much like Flashstep and Sonido, for far greater speed. In theory, while the user's legs would begin to break down from the strain of such concentrated reiatsu, the increased speed would be worth the trade-off. However, the technique was never moved past the testing phases due to catastrophic results.

Candice's jaw dropped. "Seriously? We're trying that thing? The Wandenreich stopped trying to figure that thing out when all the soldats who tried it out ended up shredding their bodies! Most were lucky if they just ended up wheelchair-bound! Come on, Bambi! It'll do way more harm than good!"

"Yeah, well, Yhwach and Hatchwalth didn't want to risk using Quincies made of sterner stuff to see if it could work!" Bambietta argued. "We're Sternritter, so I say we are made of sterner stuff! Right now, we don't have the power or the speed to make this work. It's basically do or die right now, so I say we give it a shot!"

"But-"

"Candi!" Bambietta screamed at the green-haired Quincy, interrupting her before she spoke. "Remember who we're here for."

Candice looked down at the ground, an image of Erza going through her mind before she then smirked. "Yeah...right. Ok, fine, let's give this a go!"

The two then closed their eyes, reishi gathering around their feet and glowed blue and green reiatsu respectively until they opened their eyes and shouted "Blitzrakete Schritt!"

"What's this?" Ikaruga tilted her head to the side then, taking note of the state of her opponents. "Disheartened Angels. Despair and desperation. Futile hopes breed loss."

Bambietta heard the poem, gritting her teeth as she felt her entire body become alive with pure, unbridled energy. 'Yeah, let's see you talk big... small... whatever... after you see this!'

(Song of choice: Strong and Strike (Naruto))

Just then, Bambietta and Candice vanished from sight, blasting towards the assassin with insane speed and breaking the sound barrier thousands of times over before the two reappeared behind her, two shallow cuts appearing across Ikaruga's chest as the Quincies brought themselves to a screeching halt, the ground beneath their feet scattered and reduced to small craters as they turned to face their opponent.

"Aaaah..." Ikaruga was left stunned, standing still as the Quincies sped past her. Keeping her grip on her sword despite the pain, she reached up towards her chest, gently touching the swing wounds directly beneath her collarbones. "Blood... my blood..."

She stood there, transfixed for a moment. It had been so long since she had seen her blood in battle, so very long. Not since her day's training in the art of the blade. And yet... to see her blood compared to all she had shed...

"My blood is the same. The same as all I have slain. Will I... die today?"

"Yeah, it's a funny feeling, isn't it?" Bambietta said as she narrowed her eyes. "You might be surprised to hear this, but you're not the only one here who's taken their fair share of lives. Not exactly something I'm proud of anymore though."

"But I think my friend here is making it very clear we know what it's like to get shit done," Candice warned her. "Because unlike you, we're part of something greater now."

The two then looked at each other and smirked before they spoke together. "A family."

"A... family..." Ikaruga turned to look at Bambietta and Candice both, a hint of anger in her eyes. "You think Trinity Raven is anything less than my own family? That they would cast me aside like others before them? You both think... your guild is so unique..."

Ikaruga's angered expression relaxed then as if she was reigning in her emotions.

"We dark guilds have families of our own," Ikaruga said, her breathing mellowing out. "And that's... all I will say on the matter."

Bambietta paused, remembering well how she had described the Vandenreich to Makarov so long ago. "I hope your dark guild never lets you down."

Then she was gone in a burst of Hirenkyaku, leaving Candice to stand still for but a second, the Quincy looking down at the wooden floor.

"Never again."

She too took off then, letting speed become her ally.

Ikaruga's emerald eyes began to dart around, the wizard assassin trying to follow the movement of the two Quincies. She could see dust kick up on the wooden planks of the walkway, she could see the cracks in the walls as the Quincy rebounded off of the stonework, but all she could see of the two members of Fairy Tail were flashes.

That would be enough.

Swords clashed once again, steel against steel, though now... now Ikaruga found herself on the defensive.

'Their attacks, they're not as strong as they could be, not at all, but they're so fast! It is inconceivable that they could outshine my Reduced Earth by so much. I-'

Ikaruga gasped as two cuts formed on her, one on a shoulder, another on a thigh, as she stumbled back. "Impressive, but do you really think-"

Before she could finish speaking, however, Bambietta and Candice had pounced onto the swordswoman with inconceivable speed. Ikaruga tried her best to parry the oncoming attacks, but as Bambietta and Candice attacked in tandem, the swordswoman found that she was only just barely able to hold them off. As Bambietta would move in to attack, Ikaruga was finding it hard to move fast enough to parry her attack quick enough before Candice would come in with a follow-up. Her efforts at counterattacking weren't much better. Each and every chance she had to lash out with her blade ended in failure, the two Quincies moving about far too fast for her to strike fast enough. Crouching down at the same time, Bambietta and Candice then performed a powerful double kick to Ikaruga's chin which sent her flying into the air. The swordswoman fixed her gaze downward then, preparing for her counterattack only to notice the two Quincies were no longer on the wooden bridge. Quickly turning around just in time, Ikaruga was able to block an oncoming strike from Bambietta and Candice's blades when sent her to the ground.

"This... this won't be nearly enough." Ikaruga proclaimed as she got onto her feet. Reversing her grip on Mugetsu-Ryu, Ikaruga struck its tip into the ground and cried out. "Heruzuarīna!"

All around Ikaruga did flames erupt, consuming the entire arena in an inferno that practically exploded, leaving even the cherry blossoms that fell from the planted trees to catch flame and incinerate.

"Look... what you made me do," Ikaruga said, seeing one last solitary cherry blossom burn away before her eyes. "Another of my secret swords revealed... and such beauty left to wither and die."

The two Quincy didn't bother to answer as they attacked in unison, the swordswoman trying to strike at them with a wide swing of her blade, but the two Quincy were able to dodge out of the way, two more cuts appearing across her back before they dashed at her again. This time, however, she was able to block an upcoming strike from Candice. "I'm starting to get used to your spee-" Before she could finish, however, her eyes widened in surprise as she noticed a shadow looming above her as Bambietta came crashing down on her, the swordswoman pushing Candice away before she was just able to block Bambietta's strike.

Bambietta grinned as Candice quickly got up to her feet. "Not so high and mighty now, are ya!?" She swung her blade down at her again and again, each blow being stopped by the pink-haired samurai, but this time with more considerable effort put into it as Candice came rushing in from behind and Bambietta swung at the assassin one last time.

Ikaruga unsheathed her blade once again, smiling as blades met, again and again, the assassin keeping both Quincies at bay as she pushed forward. "Yes, yes..." Ikaruga lost herself in the moment, the clash of metal against metal, muscle, and fiber behind them all, filling her with ecstasy. Neither of these two were Titania Erza, no, but even as their blades were damaged every time they struck with her own blade, they were giving it their all. They were giving her everything they had! While individually they were not as powerful as the Arrancar she had clashed with earlier, their combined strength and teamwork was giving her a true challenge. Something she hadn't experienced in a long, long time.

Bambietta's blade barely scraped by her face, nearly slicing her cheek as she leaned back before leaping over a slash from Candice's blade to her waist. As she landed, the two continued to rush her, their blades at the ready. With the constant use of Blitzrakete Schritt, they struck anywhere they could without interfering with the others' strikes. The scantily-clad Quincy had vanished behind Ikaruga to attack her, but the swordswoman ducked before she sent Candice back with a counter swing. Bambietta tried to stab her while she was ducked down, but Ikargua rolled out of the way before she swung her blade, Bambietta's own blade breaking in the process as a slight cut appeared on her chest. The damage did little to stop her however as she used her increased speed to appear right in front of her, as Candice performed a similar maneuver from behind. Ikaruga somersaulted over the green-haired beauty and attempted to cut her down, but Bambietta had stopped the attack with her blade as Candice turned around before their blades clashed once more, the two Quincies working in tandem to cut her down.

These two really were showing her just how passionate they were to save her friend. It was only fair she returned that favor. Speaking no incantation, Garuda's Flame was weaker in its all-encompassing wrath. It whirled not around Ikaruga's blade, but it burst out just as Bambietta and Candice's blades struck against Mugetsu-Ryu. Both Quincies were thrown back, leaving Ikaruga room to breathe.

And breathe she did, the assassin panting. Not from exertion alone, but from the manic joy that was making its way through her demeanor.

"Yes, yes," she repeated, her voice cracking. "You two are... so much more lively than that quiet man! So much more involved in battle! A true challenge! I... I love it! This..."

Ikaruga's mind drifted back, her thoughts becoming one with her past. Of the energetic young girl who had become an apprentice to the master of a clan of swords magic. Of one who had preached the fine art of not simply wielding a blade, but becoming the blade. Of how her heart had hardened under the discipline even as she fell short of expectations. Of how her friend had become her rival, how she had become the blade while never losing sense of herself.

Where the young woman known as Kiria had excelled at no expense to herself, Ikaruga had fallen short and lost everything. She had sacrificed her joy, her hunger, for serene grace. And in her failings had she abandoned the teaching she could not master, foregoing becoming a blade and simply wielding one. She had even gone so far as to abandon her home, her country, to start over as an assassin and nothing more.

Still, in that brief moment, Bambietta and Candice's lively fury awakened something in Ikaruga. It was like their infectious spirit had clawed its way into her, awakening something long since buried.

She was enjoying this battle.

Not like the simple assassinations.

Not like the battles with those too weak to face her in combat all throughout the Cobra War.

Not like with Kiria with whom she could not contend.

Not like with the Arrancar who had been too similar to her own poise and stoic grace.

No, this was... this was something else.

"Your names..." Ikaruga gasped. "I wish to know them, Angels of Fairy Tail."

Bambietta and Candice glanced at each other then with looks of slight bewilderment, the two Quincies clearly surprised by the swordswoman's request. However, despite the fact that she was their enemy, no doubt intent on ending their lives, there could be no doubt that there was a small amount of respect for the power that she had. It was for this, and this alone, that the two decided to give her an answer.

"Bambietta Basterbine."

"Candice Catnipp."

"Superb names, if unique!" Ikaruga said, once more reaching for her blade. "I promise you this, you will be the first opponents I have vanquished with whom I will inscribe epitaphs upon their graves!" Ikaruga could see a wicked grin born of confidence form on both the Quincies' faces, though Bambietta's especially caught her eye. Ikaruga flinched then, seeing a familiar face, one whose smile had a love and lust for all the world had to offer her. "You especially, Bambietta Basterbine."

"Um...Thanks for the compliment?" Bambietta stammered at the praise. Well, she certainly wasn't expecting that. In a sense, Bambietta could sense a kindred spirit in her of sort, someone who loved the thrill of battle, but any and all chances for empathy vanished when she remembered why she was fighting in the first place. No, this was no time to enjoy herself. She had a friend to save.

She was surprised then when Candice spoke up. "Listen, lady, no one's gonna deny that you're one tough son of a bitch. Frankly, I'll be surprised if we get out of this without losing some fingers. But I'm going to give you just one warning. Move the fuck out of our way! I'm not here to have fun fighting you, I'm here to get the one authority figure I've had any respect for the fuck out of here so she can go back to enjoying herself! You have no idea what she means to me, to Bambi, or the guild!"

"No, no, I suppose I do not," Ikaruga continued. "But I know a great deal of her importance to Jellal Fernandes. Why else would he offer Death's Head Caucus such a lucrative reward for her capture alive? And I... I have never failed to live up to the tasks anyone has laid out before me. Even if, by chance, this one requires I take in my prey alive. But you..."

Ikaruga looked at Bambietta and then Candice.

"Jellal has also offered a substantial reward for the death of any save Erza who bears that guild mark you two do. And while I cannot see yours, Miss Basterbine... Well, that rather provocative outfit of yours, Miss Catnipp, does not do much to hide it. Why do you dress like that around the men in your guild?"

"Well, I'm not gonna be sorry for showing off what I got." Candice said before she used Hirenkyaku to try to attack Ikaruga once more. However, to her surprise, by the time she had attempted to strike, Ikaruga was already behind her, her blade about to slice her across the back!

'Shit!'

Clang!

Just then, Bambietta had used her own Hirenkyaku to stop the strike, though her feet and legs wobbled from the effort as she grabbed onto Ikaruga's right arm. "Oh no, you don't! Candi, do it now!"

Candice quickly got to her feet before she took up to the air, her sword transforming into a massive bolt of lighting before she shouted out "Galvano Javelin!" and tossed it at the pair, Bambietta giving Ikaruga a smirk before she vanished from sight with her high-speed movement technique!

"Again, this?" Ikaruga sighed, her blade once more cutting through solid lightning, a crack of thunder blasting out and deafening all around. However, as the lightning was torn asunder, Bambitta came into view from where it had once been having used the attack as nothing more than cover.

She reached out then, the Explode firing forth. It was enough to catch Ikaruga off guard at last, the assassin unable to parry it with Mugetsu-Ryu a second time. No, instead it caught the hem of her kimono, the part of it around her ribs bursting.

Ikaruga cried out, the portion of her fabric having blown up directly against her. She stumbled to the side, charred and smoking skin peeking out above her hip.

"Oh, now who's showing skin, huh?" Candice snarked.

Bambietta was about to attack again, to press her advantage, but a stray glance from Ikaruga's piercing eyes made the Quincy step back towards Candice with Hirenkyaku. Not willing to give the impression that she had retreated for the moment, she instead offered a retort. "Okay, one, she was showing a lot of cleavage with that kimono in the first place, so I think she's a hypocrite about showing some skin... N-not that I'm complaining or anything. And two, I'm pretty sure singed skin would be a case of fan disservice, Candi."

"Maybe not for Giselle," Candice replied. "You know her."

Bambietta grit her teeth at the mere mention of a name Candice just had to bring up. "You know, I do have a plan on how we could beat this crazy haiku lady, Candi."

Bambietta turned her face towards her fellow Quincy, smiling even as she kept her eyes closed.

"Yeah," Bambietta continued. "It'll be fun."

"Oh really?" Candice asked, one of her eyebrows raised, though she smirked nonetheless. "Well, you always did come up with some of the crazier ideas on how to kill someone...Alright, I'm in. What do you have in mind exactly?"

"You know that attack I used on those Sahuagin on the ride over?" Bambietta grinned. "I think it's time she felt it first hand." Her grin then faltered as she realized a flaw in her plan. "But it's gonna take me some time to charge it up for extra power if I want it to do any real damage." She then shook her head then before she continued. "Never mind, it would take way too damn long to get it to work."

Candice stared at Ikaruga, her hands shaking...before brandishing two swords, one in each hand. "How long do you need?"

Bambietta's eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Candice. "Candi, no! There's no way you could possibly-"

"You said it earlier, remember why we're here!" Candice yelled at her. "We're here to get Erza the fuck out of here. I know for a fact if we ran away and left her to die, we'd carry that guilt for the rest of our lives! I don't know about you, but I'm personally sick and tired of fucking things up! Ever since I've joined Fairy Tail, I've felt like I've been doing something right and I'm not going to stop here! So get your attack ready and hit her with it as hard as you can!"

"...And if you die?" Bambietta asked with trepidation.

Candice smirked before facing Ikaruga. "Then I'll at least die making up for before."

She then took off, blitzing towards Ikaruga before Bambietta could say another word.

"Now you approach me alone?" Ikaruga asked, seeing Candice coming at her. "Pray tell, what are you two up to, hmm?"

"Oh don't you worry, you're about to find out!" Rushing forward with intense speed thanks to Blitzrakete Schritt, Candice tried to hit Ikaruga with her twin blades. However, two swords were no proper substitute for having an ally to back you up for any possible mistake, as Candice soon found out. Her blades narrowly missed Ikaruga's face as she moved to the left, and then jumped over her next attack, the twin-swordswoman quickly stopping her feet and turning around in 180 degrees before rushing back to attempt to slice her once more.

"Ugh, damn it!" Again and again, she tried to cut Ikaruga at least once, but it was no use. Despite having the greater speed of the two Quincies, Candice's swordsmanship was easily by far the worst of the 3 warriors assembled in the blazing battlefield. This was a fact she was well aware of. But, she would not give up!

Ikaruga was beginning to adapt, only having to contend with one Quincy now. She could feel it in her bones, knowing that even if Bambietta were to join her friend in their desperate use of incredible speed, she would now be ready for it.

'How foolish. But they clearly wouldn't resort to this unless it was some sort of plan.'

Ikaruga looked at Bambietta from the corner of her eye.

'Whatever she's planning that I am not privy to, I have to stop it now. I-'

Momentarily distracted as she allowed herself, Ikaruga felt one of Candice's blades beginning to make contact. She reacted in kind, stepping back in a split second so that only her kimono's sleeve was cut.

"Oi, I'm still right here you damn bitch!" Candice said as yet another one of Candice's blades reached her, the blade just barely cutting into the kimono's belly section before she sent Ikaruga back a bit by kicking her hard with a lightning-enhanced kick.

Ikaruga grit her teeth, flipping over in midair as she took control of her own momentum. She hit the charred and broken ground, clogs skidding across it as she stood back up. "No more distractions. Move aside."

'Damn it, I need more time!' Candice thought before she transformed her swords into twin lightning bolts. "Double Galvano Javelin!" She threw the first lightning bolt directly at Ikaruga before vanishing behind her and let loose the 2nd, the twin lightning bolts hurtling towards the powerful assassin!

"This again?" Ikaruga cut down the first, but the second she could only dodge at the last second, static electricity running up her pink mane of hair as she narrowly avoided it. "Perhaps I was too quick to judge your skills when on your own. My apologies."

Ikaruga bowed ever so slightly, still keeping a solid grip upon her sword's handle.

Candice's eye twitched then in anger. "Listen here, we're going to take Erza back home, and you're not gonna stop us!" Electricity flowed through her hands then, Candice began to fire a barrage of lightning from her hands at Ikaruga. They numbered in the hundreds, but the sheer quantity of the blasts came at a severe cost of quality, each blast being only strong enough to destroy a C class monster. However, this barrage of lighting was not meant to damage Ikaruga, but simply to stall.

'Come on Bambi, how much longer is this gonna take!?' Candice screamed internally.

Ikaruga unleashed Mugetsu-Ryu again, a barrage of cuts moving through the air, shielding her from the lightning barrage just as it had from the Explode earlier in the fight.

"I congratulate your skill, I truly do," Ikaruga said as she approached Candice with a single step of Reduced Earth, "but you will no longer stall me!"

Having completely acclimated to Blitzrakete Schritt in a one-on-one scenario, Ikaruga moved past Candice in the blink of an eye, multiple cuts forming around the Quincy's skin. Nothing deep, but enough to get her attention.

"D-damn it!" Turning on her heels, Candice looks to attack, but she was not fast enough in close quarters while under the shock of the pain, leaving Ikaruga a moment to slam the hilt of her sword directly into her belly. That made her fall back, gasping as the breath was knocked right out of her. "Y-you bitch..."

"Have some class, I implore you," Ikaruga asked politely.

'Damn it all, at this rate...she really is gonna kill me!' Candice thought as she fought to stand up on her two feet, the winded woman wheezing as she fought to catch her breath. Blitzrakete Schritt was all but out of use, and her legs were shaking as if they were made out of jelly from the strain. Deciding to switch to Blut Vene for defense, she tried to strike at Ikaruga's head with one of her blades, but her attacks were sluggish compared to what they were before. Ikaruga casually moved to the left to dodge one strike, then the right, the swordswoman not even bothering to use her blade to block the oncoming strikes. "If this is all you have to offer me now, I suppose I may as well end this farce."

The pink-haired assassin began her counter-attack, the first swing of her sword shattering Candice's dual blades completely. The Sternritter quickly reformed the blades, but it mattered little as Ikaruga's strikes were too fast and numerous to block. A slice to her left arm made the injured Quincy drop one of her blades before she was just barely able to move back to avoid a slice that would have cleaved her head in two had she not moved, though her nose received a nasty cut as a result. Then, moving her blade faster than Candice's eyes could perceive, the assassin thrust her sword into Candice's belly, the Quincy coughing up some blood before she was sliced again from her left shoulder to her right hip. If not for Blut Vene, the attack would have killed her right then and there.

Ikaruga clapped her hands as she looked down at Candice. "Remarkable that you're still alive, Miss Catnipp. Your resolve truly has earned my respect. If you decide to leave the Tower of Heaven right now, I'll make no effort to pursue you."

Candice coughed and wheezed as she once again stood up on her feet, her entire body leaking out blood profusely as she glared at Ikaruga in defiance. "Not...going...to happen! I won't...let you assholes...hurt Erza!"

Ikaruga rested two fingers at her chin as she looked at Candice with curiosity. "And why pray tell are you so loyal to her? I heard tales of a green-haired thief who used her power over lightning to steal and rob from anyone she wanted until you decided to turn over a new leaf. That was hardly over a month ago, so tell me, why on earth would you risk your life for someone you've known for such a short period of time?"

Candice glared at Ikaruga then, her firsts shaking, as she thought back to the day after she had joined her newfound home.

"Please, you can't take that!"

Candice Catnipp was currently at Fiore's Magic council headquarters, where she, and a large sum of money, were being assessed by the government branch which oversaw mages. As per Erza's agreement, the Quincy had no choice but to return all of the stolen goods she and Jade had procured before they had joined Fairy Tail. Most of it was easy enough to return, but the inevitable hotel fees and eating out had meant that the two were currently quite...short on what they owed.

The member of the council who was overseeing Candice had decided that she would have to pay the rest out of her own pocket, thus he had taken her own finances under his control...and her wallet, which he had quickly snatched out of her hand as she paid her fee. The cash within was of little concern, the picture of her boyfriend Cameron however, which she kept inside the wallet, was priceless to her. "Please, I'll pay back what you owe, just give that back! I need it!"

"You'll forgive me if I find it hard to show criminal scum like you any mercy." The man scoffed as he held her wallet. "Frankly, if your guild master wasn't one of the 10 saint's you two would be rotting behind bars. I'm disgusted the Magic council has decided to show you two such leniency. Far as I'm concerned, your debt to society isn't anywhere near paid in full if you don't suffer for it. Consider this a lesson, you no good punk."

Candice shook in anger as she stared at the man with anger. The only reason she hadn't beaten the man to a pulp was because of the trouble it would have inevitably brought her guild. She couldn't care less for the mages within, but Bambietta and Liltotto really seemed to like it there. If she made things difficult before she had really joined, she had no doubt she would be kicked out and be separated from her closest friends. She didn't want that, no matter what. So, she just stood there, as her most precious possession was taken from her.

"Is there a problem?"

Candice's eyes widened then as she turned around to see none other than Erza Scarlet walk into the room. Candice's whole body slumped then as she walked in. From what she could gather, she was Fairy Tail's number one authority figure aside from Makarov. There was little doubt in Candice's mind about whose side she'd take. After all, what would she gain by helping her?

"I was sent by Master Makarov to make sure everything was going smoothly," Erza said as looked at the two of them. "You'll have to forgive my intrusion, but when I heard loud bickering I thought it was best to intervene."

The man sneered as he looked at Erza. "Oh, Miss Scarlet, I was just teaching this thug a lesson in proper dues to society, was all. She seems to be throwing a hissy fit over this picture in this wallet, but I've told her that she's lucky to have-"

"Has she paid her fee in full?" Erza interrupted.

The man blinked before he answered. "Well, yes, but this vermin needs to be-"

"If she has fully paid what she owes then I see no need for further suffering," Erza said as she walked over to the man. "Now, hand it over to her."

The man scoffed as he looked at Erza. "You may be the famous Titania, but you can't just tell me what to do Miss Scarlet! I am a member of the magic council, and I can-" Before he could even finish his sentence, however, Erza quickly brought her fist down on the top of his head, knocking the man out before she knelt down and picked up the wallet before tossing it to Candice and made her way out of the room. "Here, I believe this belongs to you."

Candice could only stare in shock as she absent-mindedly caught the wallet with her hand as she looked at Erza. "But...why though?"

"Hm?" Erza responded as she looked over her shoulder.

"I haven't been in the guild for even a full day, but you still stood up for me like that," Candice said as she slowly walked over to her. "I mean, he's part of the magic council. Surely you and the guild are going to be punished for this! So why!?"

"Candice," Erza said before she placed a hand on Candice's left shoulder. "Bambietta and Liltotto seem to trust that you'll become a worthy addition to the guild, and I'm choosing to believe in that trust. When you joined the guild, that meant you became part of something much more. Our family. The guild isn't just a place for mages to come together and take jobs. We look out for one another, regardless of how long we've known each other because that's what family does. That's what Fairy Tail is. Do you wish to know why I stepped in despite the consequences? It's because I'm-"

"It's because I'm...It's because I'm..." Candice began to stutter as her body swayed before she finally steadied herself, and gave Ikaruga her most intense glare. "IT'S BECAUSE I'M A MEMBER OF FAIRY TAIL!"

At that moment, Candice's reiatsu skyrocketed, the ground around the two shaking as if they were standing in the middle of an earthquake. With her right hand now pointed upwards, a massive column of lightning surged around Candice before concentrating itself around her right arm, electricity now flowing through her eyes as well before she moved her entire arm behind her, as if she was going to throw the most powerful curveball of her life. "ELECTROCUTION!"

The massive bolt of lighting was hurtled towards Ikaruga, far faster than any bolt of lighting or attack that Candice had used thus far. The samurai's eyes widened in surprise as the attack came close, and she brought up her sword just in the nick of time to block the attack, before being eclipsed by a powerful, massive bolt of lightning that shook the entire room and shot up towards the high ceiling of the tower, and busted through several floors past it!

Candice panted as she fell on her knees then, now completely exhausted. 'I've...never been forced to use that in Earthland until now! Fuck that took a lot out of me!...Maybe...Maybe if we're lucky, that actually did the trick!' It was hard for her to tell at the moment, the dust not having settled from the recent attack and her exhaustion making it hard to sense reiatsu.

"Most...Impressive." Ikaruga was down on one knee as the smoke generated by the attack dissipated, her body now covered in first and second-degree burns throughout her body, her kimono now torn in many places, but the assassin was left still quite capable of fighting. The assassin looked towards the lightning-user through vision tinged by scarlet pain. "You who wield thunder... Your strength exceeds all reason... You brought me down low... Perhaps not my best haiku, but you will excuse my tribute to your attack. It has left my thoughts momentarily cloud by pain."

"How...On earth are you-" Not wanting to give the samurai even a moment to try to get back up again, Candice formed a bow in her hand, and began to pelt Ikaruga with arrows, screaming with each shot in desperation. However, while her most powerful attack did quite a bit of damage to the mage of Death's Head Caucus, Ikargua was now batting away each arrow with a swing of her sword as she slowly approached. "Come on, fall damn you!" Candice yelled as she continued her futile barrage. "FALL!"

"No, I don't believe I will." Just then, Ikaruga vanished from Candice's sight before appearing right behind her, her sword now fully sheathed before Candice's senses were overwhelmed by an unbelievable sharp pain across her chest. Another cut appeared on her chest then, this time from her right shoulder to her left hip, leaving the battered woman with a nasty X-shaped wound along with the prior slash as she fell to her knees, gasping in pain as blood poured from her wounds. The swordswoman drew her sword once more and placed it the left side of Candice's neck then before she smirked. "It's been a fun diversion, my lightning empowered foe, but this is where it ends. I'll at least try to-"

However, before she could finish speaking, Ikaruga's thoughts were interrupted when she could feel a small gust behind her. She slowly turned around then, and her eyes widened with surprise once more as she could see Bambietta's body glowing a bright blue hue, her right hand extended with her fingers curled in some sort of claw-shaped manner, seven blue shaped magical circles now appearing one after the other in front of her right hand. The ground around her shook, and small amounts of rubble slowly lifted off the ground from the energy Bambietta was now emitting. "What...is this?!" Even from this distance, she could sense pure, raw, unbridled power coursing through Bambietta's hand. It wasn't just comparable to Candice's Electrocution, no...it completely exceeded it!

Candice couldn't help but chuckle as she got to her two feet. "That, my pink-haired samurai...is what we call both a diversion...and checkmate." She gave Ikaruga a confident grin, before vanishing with Hirenkyaku.

"Chess never was my strong suit," Bambietta said as she raised up her right hand towards Ikaruga, "but I do appreciate the sentiment. As for you, pinkie, let's see how well you like my penultimate strongest attack! Super Atomic Blast!"

A massive explosive laser erupted from the palm of Bambietta's hand, the blue torrential force flying towards Ikaruga. The assassin prepared herself to cut it down, Mugetsu-Ryu meeting the attack head-on... but she felt her wooden footwear sliding across the battlefield. It was pushing her back. "No, it's... it's..." Ikaruga could see her blade wavering under the onslaught, her hand screaming in pain as the force of the ceaseless attack shot through her wrist and up her arm to her shoulder. 'This attack, its power...it's on par with the Jupiter Cannon! It's too much!'

Then, finally, Mugetsu-Ryu was parried from the force of the blast, Ikaruga's sword arm flying back and leaving her to bear the brunt of the attack completely. She screamed then, a dreadful sound that was drowned out by the explosive force as she was thrown back, the entire tower shaking as the gigantic laser blast created a powerful explosion, easily one that was on par with a nuclear bomb!

"Say hello to oblivion for me!" Bambietta cried out as she and Candice's hair bellowed in the wind from the force of the explosion. "Sheesh, she was tough. Though I really wish I didn't have to blow up that neat sword." The Quincy quickly lamented. "I wanted to take it for myself when this was over..."

"Oh, who gives a shit about the sword?" Candice said as she weakly walked over to Bambietta. "The important thing is we finally beat that bitch...Now if you don't mind, I'd like to go find Wendy, because I'm really, really trying to not scream from how much this fucking hurts!"

Bambietta couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, I bet that hurts like a bitch huh? Sure, we'll go get Wendy right after this. You're not exactly in fighting shape as it is." She then couldn't help but add "... I'd miss you."

Candice blinked. "Sometimes I can't tell if you mean it or if you're holding a grudge."

Bambietta shook her head. "The latter a few months ago, hell yes. But now? I mean it, Candi."

"Bambi, I-"

Candice was cut off then, blood spurting out from her back as she suddenly fell forward.

"Candi!" Bambietta cried out her name... and felt a sword rest down upon her shoulder from behind, the tip of the weapon falling into sight within the corner of her eye. "That's... not possible..."

Bambietta slowly turned her head around, catching sight of Ikaruga. The assassin was worse for wear, looking ragged and bloody, standing on shaking legs. Her whole body was quivering with pain, and covered in 3rd-degree burns. Yet still, she stood, clearly having used Reduced Earth to catch the twin Quincies off guard.

"Not... over..." Ikaruga managed to get out, her voice ragged with pain.

"You damn-" Bambietta tried to strike out then, her sword now formed but Ikaruga sliced through her blade with little effort and through Bambietta's Blut Vene as if it were butter. The Quincy spewed out blood from her chest then, a nasty horizontal slash of blood erupting from her body. She stumbled back and coughed out some blood. However, Bambietta was still determined and was about to reform her blade, but before she could, she felt intense, searing pain as Ikaruga's Mugetsu-Ryu was now thrust inside of her stomach. "Graagh!" Bambietta cried out in immense pain.

"I must commend you, truly," Ikaruga said before she gave Bambietta a harsh kick that sent her flying. "Never before in all my life have I been so injured. However, It's about time now that the kid gloves come off. Up until now, I've been fighting you both with 90% of my full power, for my guild master didn't wish for the tower to take any damage. Even with our battle taking place inside of the dimension I created, it still could have poured out and damaged it. Now, however...I am finished toying with you...Yasha's Empty Flash."

Bambietta then felt her body covered in wounds. From head to toe, slashes and cuts appeared all over her body, none of them shallow, each one cutting several inches deep and reducing her to her knees. She then tried to rise, her body screaming in protest as she barely managed to get to her feet.

"To think your body could withstand my technique at 100%. It's nothing short of a miracle that you're still alive," Ikaruga said as she slowly took a small vial of liquid out from her kimono.

"Oh...shut the fuck up," Bambietta sputtered. "In the condition... you're in...you're gonna fall to whoever fights you next."

Ikaruga couldn't help but chuckle as she looked at the small vile in her hand. "If I was anyone else, you would be absolutely correct. However, thanks to this potion I have in my hands..." The samurai took a sip from the vial, drinking all of the liquid inside of it. As she finished, all of the 3rd-degree burns covering her body began to vanish and before long, the samurai was standing before her, good as new.

"But...how?" Bambietta stuttered. "I thought...Wendy was the only one with healing magic."

"Oh, this isn't healing magic," Ikaruga explained. "The potion within was made with a curse. It can heal those who drink it back to their prime. However, in order to create this potion, it requires the lives of 400 mages. An easy task for one such as myself."

"You...damn...monster!" Bambietta stammered out.

"Now...for the finishing blow," Ikaruga said as she slowly unsheathed her blade, and pointed it above Bambietta's head. "Perish!" The sword was swung down, with enough force to easily kill Bambietta once it would come into contact. Bambietta closed her eyes, knowing the end was near, but just as the blade swung, Bambietta vanished from Ikaruga's sight. However, her sword had connected with something, or rather someone, as the blade was still dripping blood from its latest cut.

"Hey...You ok, there, Bambi?"

Bambietta opened her eyes then to see Candice standing over her, her entire body trembling as her back was now bleeding profusely without end. Her eyes were watering from the pain, but she still gave Bambietta a smile. "I guess this...Makes us even...for earlier huh?"

Bambietta stared straight ahead at Candice, unblinking as her friend began to fall. "Candi..." Bambietta whispered, even as Candice hit the ground. "I... I told you I'd miss you..."

"Oh, she fell down," Ikaruga said, watching as Bambietta cradled the fallen Quincy. "I suppose that's the end of her interference."

"You didn't have to do that, Candi!" Bambietta shouted, not paying Ikaruga any mind. "I told you that... that..."

"No grudge, right?" Candice coughed. "Well, that's... all fine and dandy, but... maybe I still had one... against myself..." Candice reached up then, a hand patting Bambietta on the head. "It doesn't matter if you win or lose, it's what you do with your dancin' shoes," Candice whispered, her head tilting to the side. "So use 'em to run, Bambi. I want ...you to... stay alive... Please..."

"Candi..." Bambietta muttered as tears began to flow from her eyes. "I'll...I'll..."

"I think it's about time your friend was put out of her misery, don't you agree?" Ikaruga spoke as she drew her katana once more. "Don't you worry, I'll make it quick and painless." Her sword descended on Candice Catnipp, the sword just about to pierce her heart from behind until she heard a loud, powerful voice.

"SHINING FINGER!"

Turning her head up just in the nick of time, Ikaruga could see Bambietta lunging forward at her, her right hand shining a brilliant glow before she reached forward with it, trying to grasp Ikaruga's head. The swordswoman quickly raised her sword up to block it just in the nick of time. The glow of spiritual power mingled with the divine magic of the gods clashed with the unyielding strength that Ikaruga could put behind Mugetsu-Ryu. Bambietta grit her teeth as she pushed forward, her fingers gripping around the blade. Then she let loose, realizing she was not going to reach Ikaruga's head with her attack, the power exploding between them both. Bambietta moved back with Hirenkyaku, watching as Ikaruga was thrown back.

"Tch." The right corner of Bambietta's mouth opened, the frustrated Quincy practically snarling as she saw that she had done no damage to the assassin. "Damn it all, my best move, and I couldn't even hit her!" This wasn't good. Bambietta could only hope to use the divine technique of the gods a maximum of 3 times a day, and she knew it was quite likely that she would need to save it for the battles that lay ahead. But yet, here and now, her first attempt with it had already failed.

"What an impressive technique," Ikaruga said as she steadied herself. "Raw and powerful. Entirely fitting for one such as you. Wild, even. I'd dare say it may have been even stronger than that Atomic Blast attack of yours from earlier. To think one such as you would have an attack more powerful than even the Jupiter cannon. Had I not decided to fight you with my full strength, you would have defeated me just now. However, it lacks a certain something. What is it again? Oh, yes. Range. You could not hope to reach me with it any more than you could the heavens with an arrow."

"Hey!" Bambietta shouted as she pointed at Ikaruga. "Back home I did just that! Me and my posse! And let me tell you, we gave those so-called heavens a helluva fight! I would have won mine if Mister Bucket hadn't gone and pulled immortality right out of his furry butt!"

"Immortality, you say?" Ikaruga said. "Such a shame that you are lacking in such a thing...you would have found it quite handy for what's about to come." Using Reduced Earth to appear behind Bambietta once more, the assassin cut the Quincy behind her back, Blut Vene doing little to stop her attack. As Bambietta tiredly tried to attack her again, however, Ikaruga sliced at Bambietta's waist, the powerful slash cutting through Bambietta's body as she stumbled backward. However, Ikaruga was far from finished and thrust her sword at Bambietta.

Once, twice, three times, the samurai continued to stab at Bambietta's body with her sword till the Quincy was quite literally full of several holes. She soon stopped then as she watched Bambietta wobble over. However, despite the bloody mess she was, despite feeling some of the worst pain she had ever experienced in her life, Bambietta still stood. "Is that...All you got?" She barely wheezed out. "I can do this all day."

Ikaruga simply smiled before she responded. "Yasha's Empty Flash."

Bambietta screamed then, the whole world within her line of sight going red. She could not tell if it was simply the pain overwhelming her or the blood she was letting free from her wounds simply coming into her line of sight. All the poor woman could do was cry out in pain, multiple wounds forming all around her from the deadly assassination technique. Ikaruga had not even made direct contact, and yet she did not need to.

"D-damn... it..." Bambietta slumped to her knees then, blood dripping down to the floor all around her. She had never, ever faced a practitioner of the sword like this. Bambietta had thought herself an artist of bloodletting with her own blade in her prime, a warrior born in the shadows of savagery, but this Ikaruga was that and so much more. Her skill was that of Erza Scarlet, her capacity for cruelty that of Bambietta herself. This was no mere assassin. No, this was a demon of the blade.

She tried to walk forward, to fight Ikaruga once more, but it was not to be. While Bambietta couldn't see herself, she knew she was in even worse shape than Renji Abarai after his battle with Byakuya Kuchiki. She took a step forward...only to fall.

Ikaruga stared at her opponent's body as it collapsed onto the ground, the fallen Quincy completely drenched in blood. The samurai nodded then and closed her eyes. "Worthy foes, the both of you. It was an honor to do battle with you especially, miss Basterbine. I pray that your time in the afterlife will be a pleasant one. The fallen angel... With her last breath she fought on... To Heaven you go..."

Finishing her Haiku, Ikaruga turned around on her feet then, slowly preparing to walk out of the fiery feudal era-inspired dimension she created before she heard a painful grunting sound. Her eyes widened in shock before she slowly turned around, to see Bambietta Basterbine, blood coating her entire body, gasping for breath...but somehow, somehow, against all odds, was now standing. This wasn't Ransotengai, the bloodsoaked Quincy being too injured to concentrate on using it. No, this was solely the result of willpower alone.

She could only stare at her before she closed her eyes and shook her head. "Why Miss Basterbine? Why? Why do it? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you honestly believe that you have what it takes to defeat me? I've been fully revitalized, while you're barely able to stand on your feet. Had you simply played dead I likely wouldn't have noticed and you would have lived to see another day. Now you're going to die, just as my master demanded. Why, I doubt you have any magic left now to hurt a lowly bandit after that last attack, let alone myself. So tell me, why is it that you still continue to fight?"

"Why... you ask?" Bambietta said with every ragged breath she had left, her body stumbling forward and leaving bloody footprints. "I'm... standing here because... of Erza... Erza Scarlet."

"That doesn't answer the question!" Ikaruga shouted.

"Standing... here because of Erza..." Bambietta repeated, not paying much attention to Ikaruga's own repeated utterance. "I was... on death's door when she found me... No, I'd been through the door... pushed through it by a lowly piece of trash... and she... she gave me another chance. If not for all the... all the chances she gave me, I... I wouldn't be here. I... I wouldn't be here to... to... stand up against you..."

"Then perhaps it is Erza Scarlet you should be cursing," Ikaruga countered. "Because of her, I will push you through that door of death once again."

"Shut the fuck up!" Bambietta snapped, her eyes ablaze with rage as she peered out from beneath her hat's visor. "I won't... have you spouting those damn... lies about Erza. This isn't about her... Hell, this isn't even about you. You? You're just a pretty little roadblock standing in front of me. A... roadblock put up by the real one who's to blame. Not Erza. Never...Ever... Erza...That pompous bastard... you're all taking marching orders from. He's the one I want."

Bambietta took another weakened step forward, losing more blood.

"So go on... Blame this on Titania Erza. You have every right to... She's why I'm here. For every chance she gave me... Every time she pulled me back from the brink... from death... from my own failings... It's my time to pay it forward. So... yes. Blame what's about to happen to you on Erza..."

Bambietta looked up then, the scarlet mask of blood on her face doing little to hide her defiance of Ikaruga and all that she spoke of.

"Because of Erza Scarlet, I stand before you a Quincy of Fairy Tail who will never break! Never yield! I will not run! Nor will I play dead just to save my own skin! And if I am to fall today, then I will damn well drag you into the afterlife with me, Ikaruga! You and Jellal, both! If I have to, I will walk through that door again gladly so long as I save Erza from you all!"

Ikaruga looked at Bambietta, momentarily stunned before she began to chuckle before letting out full-out laughter at words! "Hehehehe...HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"What's so damn funny!?" Bambietta demanded.

"All of this was because you owe her a debt?" Ikaruga spoke before she grinned. "Why, my dear Quincy, you're the one getting in the way of her true destiny, her ultimate purpose in life."

She then held out both arms as she spoke. "Erza Scarlet has been chosen to be sacrificed to revive Lord Zeref! Don't you realize what you're doing? You're fighting to prevent her from helping to achieve a goal far more important than anything she could have ever achieved in her life! All of the pain and suffering she's going through is all for the glory of lord Zeref's return! You shouldn't be mourning her death at all. If anything, you should be proud that her suffering will lead to the dawn of a new world!"

Bambietta looked at Ikaruga then, her own bloodshot eyes burrowing into the assassin's own emerald one. Ikaruga could see the weariness in them, but still, the fire of her will remained. And... something else.

The bloodshot lines of scarlet... they were turning bright orange.

"How dare you..." Bambietta hissed, Blut running through her veins.

No, it was neither Vene nor Arterie, but something else. Slowly yet surely, her wounds began to heal, leaving her free to conserve energy and to fight off bleeding out. So bright was the light that it showed not only through her veins and skin, but her clothes. This wasn't just a result brought out by just a Quincy's power. No, this was much, much, more.

"How dare you..." Bambietta's right hand began to glow once more, just as it had before. "How dare you tell me to be proud of her suffering!"

"This again?" Ikaruga scoffed before she took a closer look. "No...something's...different this time." As she spoke, an aura of gold and crimson surrounded Bambietta, appearing much like a flame. The ground around her quickly scorched as it came into contact with the fiery aura, yet the Quincy within remained unharmed.

"W-What's going on!? What is this!?" Schema screeched at Sylphia. The assassin was so, so close to finally ending the Quincy's life, but now, the Quincy was exploding with power! Not with magic, nor spiritual, but rather...divine! "How...How is she-"

Sylphia smiled as she looked down at Bambietta from her heavenly realm. "I told you, didn't I Schema? Emotions are quite a powerful thing. The power of the divine, when given to mortals not trained by gods to slay others, reacts to a need, not simply desire. Now watch, as Bambietta takes her next step into the realm of the divine."

"Speak of the suffering you've all inflicted upon Erza... if you speak of this grand design you've all laid out for her as some great destiny that I should be proud of her suffering...do that again and I will kill you!"

"Brave words from a self-purported guardian angel who can't even protect herself," Ikaruga said, holding tight to Mugetsu-Ryu. "But use that technique again all you want. It never reached me, nor will you reach Erza Scarlet or Lord Jellal."

(Song of choice. Moeagare Toshi Imawashiki Syukumei wo koete (G Gundam) )

"Then I'll just have to make it reach you!" Bambietta raised her hand up, the glow intensifying not only in her hand but throughout her very veins and her entire body. Parts of Bambietta's hair quickly took on a goldish orange color then, and two slightly elongated knight armor like pauldrons made of orange energy appeared on her shoulders as words began to seep into her mind from an unknown force as they did with her Shining Finger, "This blade of mine glows with an awesome power! Its burning grip tells me to defeat you! No, not just you! To defeat you, your guild master, Jellal, and anyone else who gets in my way!"

"What is this?" Ikaruga asked as she watched on as the large lake that surrounded them was beginning to boil then from the power radiating from Bambietta's blade then, and as she took a deep breath, a gust of wind slowly gathered around her. Soon, before Ikraruga realized it, the entire lake had completely evaporated from the power emanating from the Quincy! 'This form she's taken on, I've never seen anything like it!' She attempted to take a step forward to begin cutting down her foe, but she found that she was unable to approach, a heavy pressure weighing her down! 'What sort of power is she drawing upon!?' The swordswoman dreaded.

Bambietta screamed then, the orange energy bursting apart in her palm, leaving it to come forth as light, light that solidified into a construct of ethereal power. This was a power she had seen both His Majesty... no, Yhwach... and Jugram Haschwalth utilized in the past. To give way from weapons forged into metal from spiritual particles, to wield nothing but pure power. It was the very blade that Yhwach had used to slay even Yamamoto himself. And though Bambietta would never dare compare hers to his, she had to hope it would give her what she needed to vanquish this samurai before her all the same.

No, this wasn't quite like the power she has seen from the Quincy Kaiser. The blade in her hands now was more solid and refined, the sword looking like an oversized claymore. What's more, the power she was sensing from it, while she could certainly sense a good deal of her own reiatsu inside of the energy blade, she could also sense something...divine. Just like the Shining Finger Technique. There was no doubt about it in Bambietta's mind, this was also a part of the power that Sylphia and Meifon had told her about. The power the gods had bestowed upon her as their chosen champion!

Bambietta's left arm reached above her, grabbing the makeshift blade of light with both hands as her entire body radiated with new, untapped power.

"Ikaruga! I'm going to give you everything I have! And you, you damn roadblock, are going to taste my divine blade and fall! Take this! SHINING GIGA BLADE!" Bambietta swung the weapon down, creating a blast of light that came from Bambietta's weapon which covered the distance between her and Ikaruga.

"What!?" Ikaruga brought her blade to bear, clashing it against the destructive energy descending upon her. Still, even as she blocked the strike, she felt the arena around her beginning to crumble before she was sent back flying from the sheer force of the attack. The blast then hurtled off in the distance, vaporizing an entire upper portion of one of the mountains in Ikaruga's pocket dimension. What on earth?! What is this!? That swing of her sword...it was just as powerful as that attack she used before! No...It was even greater!

Ikaruga used Reduced Earth to appear behind Bambietta and slice her with Mugetsu-Ryu only for the Goddess' chosen to quickly turn around and parry the assassin's blade with her own, the resulting shockwave utterly destroying the makeshift oriental town in the distance from the sheer force of Bambietta's swing, the buildings reduced completely to ash. Her eyes widening with fear, Ikaruga began to attack Bambietta in quick succession, her blows destroying the terrain around them. However, Bambietta was quick to raise her sword in defense and blocked each one of her blows, her eyes as well as her veins still glowing orange with power as she stood her ground as she casually blocked Ikaruga's strikes.

"Fall...Fall! FALL!" Ikaruga cried out as tried to slice at Bambietta with her sword, but Bambietta's counter swing interrupted her blow, and Ikaruga slid across the makeshift bridge the two were standing on before she felt a sharp pain. Looking down, she could see her chest had suffered a nasty slash, blood slowly pooling around her feet. "Her blade didn't even touch me...and yet it still did this much damage!?"

Bambietta slammed her right foot down on the ground before taking off like a rocket. Faster than Ikaruga could follow, the raging Quincy was right in front of her, her blade raised above her head before she swung it down with a mighty shout. Knowing she couldn't block an attack like before, Ikaruga rolled out of the way before her katana was quickly engulfed with fire. "Garuda Flame!"

A swirling vortex of fire raced towards Bambietta, but she did not bother to move. No, instead, she simply stood her ground and swung her sword as hard as she could, a massive burst of energy coming out from the massive sword that completely overtook Ikaruga's flames and sped towards her. Gasping in fright, Ikaruga narrowly dodged out of the way of the attack by jumping to the left before she slowly got to her feet. She could see it then, yet another mountain in the distance having been cleaved in twain by her would-be executioner's strike.

"You...How...How...HOW DID YOU GET THIS STRONG!?" Ikaruga demanded before she sheathed her sword. "Yasha's Empty Flash!" Her sword unsheathed, Mugetsu-Ryu sent out dozens of invisible blades, each heading towards Bambietta, no doubt having the ability to slice her as it had before!

It was not to be, however. Bambietta ran forward and, without even realizing it, bulldozed through the countless invisible sword slices as if they were nothing and soon stopped before Ikaruga's body, her shining blade now raised above her head. "Now..." Bambietta roared, "Take this! FAIRY TAIL'S LOVE! FAIRY TAIL'S ANGER! AND ALL OF ERZA'S SORROW!" With her declaration now finished, Bambietta swung her sword down as hard as she possibly could as Ikargua used Mugetsu-Ryu to defend herself. "SHINING GIGA SLASH!"

"Im...possible!" Ikaruga could see it, Mugetsu-Ryu beginning to chip away before her eyes. Then suddenly, the blade splintered apart, orange light crashing down upon her from Bambietta's blade as she could only scream. "SIMPLY IMPOSSIBLE!"

Bambietta watched as the orange blade erupted into an azure explosion, destroying what little remained of the once pristine arena. The entire tower shuddered then from the resulting blast, waves of all sorts crashing against the tower outside until finally, the seas calmed to their prior state and Ikaruga's pocket dimension finally subsided.

"And... all of my anger too," Bambietta said as she dropped to one knee, feeling exhausted, "you crazy haiku bitch..." Her massive energy sword then vanished from her hands, as did the shoulder armor made of energy and her eyes and parts of her hair returned to normal.

However, much to Bambietta's annoyance and frustration, she saw a bloodied and battered Ikaruga walk forward, nothing but the hilt of a destroyed sword in her hand. "Oh, for fuck's sake," Bambietta coughed. "Do I need to... throw the kitchen sink at you too?"

Ikaruga smirked, letting out a weak little chuckle. "There's... no need to feel such despair. You... have won." And with that, she pitched forward, falling to the ground before Bambietta.

"No, no, no!" Schema yelled out from the top of his lungs as he looked down at the tower of heaven. "How can this be!? Your champion was dead to rights! So how on earth is it that she managed to power up so drastically!?" His head snapped in Sylphia's direction when he heard her giggle, the sound causing him to snarl. "What's so damn funny!?"

"Oh, please, forgive me. I'm not laughing at you per se, rather more at how much your plan managed to completely blow up in your face." Sylphia said while stifling another laugh. "Your attempt to kill our champion only ended up helping her delve into the realm of the divine."

"But that's impossible!" Schema yelled at her. "Your side bestowed onto her the powers of the deceased Goddess of Destruction! I know of Distruzione's powers very well, and that wasn't it! So I demand a proper explanation as to what that was!"

"You're correct in that it wasn't truly the power of Distruzione she drew upon to defeat your assassin," Syplhia answered. "Her body isn't ready to receive that kind of power, not for a long long while. But when Miss Basterbine's body was pushed to its limits and her body had expelled much of her reiatsu, that combined with her absolute desire to win and massive willpower allowed her to draw upon the bare basic essence of divine power that we sealed within her. Much in the same way that all slayer magic has a specific property that allows them to slay dragons, demons, and even gods, so too does our own magic. This magic can then take on its own unique property once exposed and fused with its own unique element, Fire, Ice, Lighting, you get the idea. In this case, Bambietta simply took the bare essence of the divine power sealed within herself and fused it with what little remaining Quincy reiatsu that she had, resulting in the power that you saw before her."

"How is it then that she only drew upon the power now and not before during her battle with Phantom Lord!?" Schema demanded. "I've studied your champion very thoroughly! Surely she would have drawn upon this power back then!"

Sylphia shook her head. "When Bambietta reobtained the power of the Schrift that Yhwach had bestowed onto her, her body was readjusting to the new power. Had she drawn upon the very same power she used to defeat the assassin, it would have been too much for her body to adapt to, and she more than likely would have died. Thus, her body likely, unconsciously, rejected the power in order to keep herself alive, much like an immune system tries to fight off anything seen as harmful. In this case, however, it was accepted."

"Damn it all...Damn it all!" Schema screamed at her. "This isn't over, you hear me!? I still have plenty of pieces in play to slaughter your champion! The guild master of Death's Head Caucus and Jellal Fernandes, as well as that Jailer, will surely send them all to their early graves! You'll see!"

Sylphia simply shook her head as she turned her attention back to the tower of heaven before she frowned. What she chose not to tell Schema, was the unlikely hood of Bambietta being able to draw upon this power of her own volition. As she had said before and as Meifon had told Bambietta before, the power that the Quincy had been bestowed by the gods could only be drawn upon in times of extreme emotional stress and anger. The more times she drew upon it, the easier it would come to her. But to truly obtain mastery of this power...would likely come at a great cost due to the requirements allowed for it to appear in the first place.

'I'm sorry for this terrible burden that we've placed upon you, Miss Basterbine, I truly am,' Sylphia thought as she looked down at the tower. 'But you were the only one that was truly compatible with it. I'm afraid that in order for you to truly delve into the powers of destruction you'll need to win this war of ours-' As she thought those words, the images of Lucy Heartfillia, Erza Scarlet, Wendy Marvell, and Levy Mcgarden came to mind. 'You'll likely have to lose one of the people you cherish most.'

Bambietta walked over to the downed samurai and slowly bent down, picking up her destroyed blade and taking the hilt inside of her pocket. "Yeah...I'll be taking this now. Sorry, but it's just too cool looking to let it go. But don't worry, I know someone who can fix it bright as day." She then grinned. "Mugetsu-Ryu, you and I are going to be the best of friends."

"How's...about a little help here?"

"Oh. Right. Pilfering cool swords is fun and all, but helping Candi would be just dandy." Bambietta scampered over to Candice with a step of Hirenkyaku, helping her up gingerly. "How are you doing, slugger?"

"Welp...Had better day's Bambi...Had better days." Candice said as she watched Bambietta approach. "So...Mind telling me what the fuck was that!?"

"That was...well...When I met the first Titania, Meifon Long, she told me of her time as the former champion of the gods from the last war. She said she had inherited some crazy strong power from them to win, and that I was the next chosen one. I...I think that's what it was. At least a small portion of it."

Candice stared at her before her eyes twitched. "And you didn't use this earlier because!? "

"Man, I don't know how I used it in the first damn place!" Bambietta argued. "All I could use until now was the shiny finger move, and that clearly wasn't cutting it earlier! Besides, I got limited uses on the divine power thing before my energy goes out and I figured it would be best to save it for Jellal! But that stuff with the sword and energy shoulder pads?" Bambietta shrugged. "Man, that is all new to me. I had no idea I could do that. The words that called it out just...came to my mind."

"Think you could do it again?" Candice asked.

Bambietta was quick to shake her head. "On the fly? Oh hell no. As I said, I still have no idea how I got more access to that divine power as it is! Odds are that's gonna be a one-time thing for a long, long time, Candi. I can't even remember the damn words, let alone know how to use it!"

"...Man, why can't things ever be simpler?" Candice said as Bambietta offered Candice her hand. "Well, it hardly matters now...though I don't think Fairy Tail is gonna take you killing pinkie all that well."

"Well, she's still breathing, last I checked when I picked up the sword," Bambietta said. "A happy accident I suppose."

"After all I went through, I'm tempted to see if this place has a kitchen sink to throw at her to get the job down," Candice grunted as she got up with some help.

The two Quincies stared at each other for a moment, before Bambietta began to snicker, Candice quickly joining in before they both started to laugh. They did it, after all that damn trial and effort, the two of them actually won! Candice then stopped as she held her stomach. "Ow, ow, it hurts to laugh."

As their laughter of joy finally calmed down, Candice looked Bambietta in the eye. "I knew I could count on you, Bambi. I always have."

"Yeah, well...I somehow doubt I would have lasted long enough to get that literal Deus Ex Machina without you." Bambietta said with a smile. "Now come on, let's go find Wendy and patch you up."

"You're not exactly in fighting shape either," Candice told her. "You might have healed yourself with that god power shit, but your reiatsu-"

"Is surprisingly back to what it was at the start of this nonsense. I just felt really, really tired for a sec was all." Bambietta interrupted. Candice gave Bambietta a strange look before she spoke again. "Look Candi, I don't understand the "how"s or "why"s on how this shit works any more than you do, okay!?"

Candice sighed before she spoke. "It's fine. Let's just get this shit over with."

"Yeah," Bambietta said with a smile as she helped begin to take Candice out of the room where their furious battle had concluded. "Let's get Erza the hell out of here."

Well, there we have it, ladies and gentlemen. Now I'm sure a few of you out there may have some questions, due to how long it's been between certain chapters, so allow me to give you all a refresher course!

1. What was that power Bambietta used to defeat Ikaruga?

We'll start out with what may be the biggest question. I've actually foreshadowed this quite a few times throughout the story, starting at chapter 42 (granted it had a different name for it back then which I'll need to fix.) but the most prominent of which was in 49, wherein Meifon Long revealed that Bambietta had been chosen as her sides respective champion and given the power of a deceased deity, along with chapter 50 which revealed that the "Shining Finger" technique she had been using up until this point was from this very power. Even how she accessed this new extra power, which was revealed in chapter 49 was stated and once more it was mentioned in chapter 52. I just want to make this clear so I don't get any accusations of "asspull" when I've foreshadowed it a few times.

It should be noted though that she didn't truly tap into her god's power though, but rather the bare basics of divine power. Much like how when Goku managed to merge God Ki into his own body, Bambietta did something similar to create something new. It should be noted unlike Goku however that this is NOT a permanent increase to her power, nor how the power normally should be used.

One last thing to be aware of is that the "design" for this form is only for the 2% power she is using now. It'll look way cooler as she taps more and more into it. For now, for the sake of ease, simply imagine Bambietta with Orange eyes and parts of her hair turning that color as well with the Super Saiyan God Aura and Magnamon's Shoulder Armor. It's not quite a 1-1 example, but it's the easiest example I have without a picture to share.

2. Blitzrakete Schritt. What is it and how does it work?

I already had a brief description, but in essence, it's sort of like combining Flashstep and Hirenkyaku, by using the Blut techniques in a way that focuses more on speed than offense or defense. Now, why wasn't it used earlier? One simple reason was that prior to this, speed has never been an issue for the likes of Bambietta, Liltotto, and Candice, but rather simply power, so it was never going to be a real solution to winning any of their fights, and 2...I didn't come up with it till now. XD A lazy excuse I know, but true nonetheless.

3. Why the alternate dimension in the Tower of Heaven?

This is simple. I wanted to showcase just how strong Ikaruga is and how much of a power-up Bambietta's divine power was, and just fighting inside of a tower was not going to give enough of a showcase of what they could do, thus I came up with what I did...Not to mention, why on earth would the tower of heaven have a Japanese-style bridge and Sakura trees inside of it anyway? It just makes more sense to me for it to be some kind of special dimension Ikaruga could throw her opponents into.

MPFS

Bambietta: 4150

Candice: 3900

Bambietta and Candice (Blitzrakete Schritt): 5000 and 4750

Ikaruga (90%): 6030

Ikaruga (100%): 6700

Bambietta (Divine Champion power, 2%): 9250