A/N: H
Disclaimer – I do not own Dragon Ball Z or Fairy Tail, Akira Toriyama and Hiro Mashima respectively do!
Chapter23 – Time Spiral
The rescue team on the Christina Advance were all staring out the window as they headed towards enemy territory; Trunks was standing by himself with his eyes closed and his arms crossed as he tried to detect his friend's power signal. "Hmmm, I still can't sense Gohan's energy; if he's escaped shouldn't I have sensed him by now?" Trunks thought. "Maybe he's trying to keep a low profile. I can't sense Rancor's power level either, what is that machine up to?! What does he want Gohan for anyway?! It's so frustrating not knowing anything! If Gohan's hurt, I swear I'll tear the robot to shreds!" The Saiyan teen's face grew angrier before he sensed someone in front of him and opened his eyes.
"Trunks," Mira spoke to the Saiyan. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but you seem troubled. Is something wrong?"
"It's nothing Mira, I'm just worried about Gohan," Trunks admitted.
"I'm sure he's alright, he's a Saiyan like you. He's super strong." Mira assured him.
"I know, it's just…Gohan almost died before he got here and that was because I couldn't save him. After that, I hadn't seen him for a while, I wasn't sure if he was still alive cause I couldn't sense his Ki. Today was the first time I heard from him." Trunks explained. "And now I find out that an old enemy we defeated is here with my friend held captive. I don't know what the Hatchiyak is planning or why he would keep Gohan alive! This is aggravating enough; we've already lost Gohan's father, I don't want to lose him too!"
"So, you knew Gohan's father?" Mira asked.
Trunks nodded "He and my Mom were close friends and my father was his rival. He helped me when I was in trouble and needed hope. I was there when he died, he sacrificed himself to save his friends and his son, our whole world was in danger and he protected it to the end. Even when he knew he would die, he didn't hesitate and he didn't show fear; he just smiled said his goodbyes and died. That was just before Gohan and I came here."
"I'm sorry to hear that. It must've been pretty hard." Mira said.
"We all took it pretty hard, especially Gohan. His dad was his hero, the man he looked up to and aspired to be just like." Trunks explained. "I want to make sure Gohan get back home and he gets to live a happy life. I'll make sure that he's returned to his loved one alive and well."
The Take Over mage placed her hand on the Saiyan's shoulder "Don't worry Trunks, we'll get him back and we'll stop the Neo Oracion Seis." Mira promised. "Gohan will be fine until we get there."
"Thanks Mira. For this and for your guild taking care of Gohan," Trunks said.
"No problem, we care about Gohan very much. He's a member of our guild now, that makes him family. He saved our lives, now we have to help him, and Fairy Tail always helps their friends." Mira said.
"Aww, the two of you look so cute together!" Jenny commented as she stepped in front of the two; she wore a short purple dress shirt, dark pants and long, light blue combat boots with dark bows. She also had on a long sleeved brown WW2 aviator's jacket draped around her shoulders and an aviator's goggles around her neck along with fingerless gloves.
"Hey Jenny, nice outfit." Mira compliment the blonde mage.
"Thanks Mira. Just thought I'd dress appropriately for the occasion." Jenny explained before looking at Trunks and doing a pose. "What do you think hot stuff?"
"Well, uh, you look amazing Jenny," Trunks replied.
"Thanks, that's so sweet of you to say." Jenny smiled at the Saiyan which made Mira a little jealous.
"We'll be approaching enemy territory soon! Everyone prepare yourselves, the hour is at hand! Men!" Ichiya announced. "Jenny, ready the weapons! Men!"
"Yes sir!" Jenny complied before winking at the Son of Vegeta. "Later handsome,"
Trunks sighed before clenching his hand as he stared out the window intensely. "Hang on Gohan, I won't let you die! Not this time!" He declared to himself; he then turned his head as he sensed a power level close by. "Something's coming at us!" he alerted. The Christina suddenly shook as smoke came out of the back part of the ship.
"Hey, I thought you guys knew how to fly this thing!" Elfman said.
"Is there a problem?" Erza asked.
"We've taken damage to the hall!" Ichiya reported.
"Stay here, I'm gonna go see!" Mira said before leaving.
"Hold on, I'll go with you!" Elfman said as he followed his sister. The two Strauss hurried to the ship's deck where they saw smoke coming out of a large hole. "What do you think happened?"
"I think, someone did this!" Mir answered.
"Sabotage?" Elfman inquired.
"That's right." Mira said before she was suddenly struck in the face and knocked towards the wall.
"Mira!" The attacker appeared next to Mira before disappearing and reappearing behind Elfman "It's the Neo Oracion Seis!" he stated when he saw Racer.
"Racer," Mira groaned.
"Alright, sneaking onboard is pretty manly, but you'll regret it!" Elfman promised.
"You will fall, big man." Racer said before disappearing again.
"He's gone!" Elfman said just before many more holes appeared in the deck; the speed demon continued to strike the ship, causing more damage. "Manly attack!" Elfman shouted as he charged at the Oracion with his iron bull arm. Racer vanished and struck the Beast Take Over mage multiple times, knocking him onto his back.
"Too slow," Racer chuckled.
"You just made a mistake!" Mira said as she stood in front of the enemy.
"Are you as fast as me?" Racer asked.
"You wanna find out?!" Mira asked as she transformed into her Satan Soul form; she then charged at the speed demon, catching him by surprise as she tackled him off the ship.
"Mira!" Elfman cried.
"I can handle Racer on my own, I promise! Go on without me!" Mira said as she and Racer fell towards the earth.
Inside the ship, the mages spotted their friend falling through the air with the enemy. "Did you see that?" Wendy asked.
"It was Racer!" Gray said.
"And Mira!" Erza said.
"Come on man, turn this thing around!" Gray said to Ichiya.
"I'm sorry, but we can't!" Ichiya said.
"Let my sister take care of that guy!" Elfman said as he came back.
"Are you sure?" Wendy asked.
"Yeah, we gotta keep going! Hurry!" Elfman said with a pained look.
"Alright, but we need to fix the damage! Jenny, get to work on repairs! Everyone lend a hand!" Ichiya instructed the others.
"Please, be careful." Erza pleaded as she glanced out the window; Trunks looked through the window as well before turning to leave. "Trunks, where are you going?"
"I'll make sure Mira comes back in one piece. That guy's Ki seemed off to me, so I just keep an eye on her. Besides, she'll need someone who can get here to you guys fast. Keep going, we'll catch up later!" Trunks assured as he stepped out and ran to the deck before jumping off and diving after the two mages.
Down below, Mira and Racer were still plummeting until Mira used her wings to catch herself. The Oracion crash landed on a rocky area while Mira descended slowly to the ground; Racer immediately got up and tried to jump back towards the ship. "Stop!" Mira yelled as she intercepted him and tried to punch him. He blocked it and disappeared before she could kick him, he countered with his own punch that she blocked and disappeared again, evading another kick.
The Speed demon appeared behind her and muttered "You're in my way." Before dashing through the area and kicking the Fairy in the gut; Mira crashed into one of the large rocks and was buried. Racer then tried to chase after the ship but something hit him, sending him back down. He looked up to see the Saiyan Prince standing on air with his arms crossed. "Who are you?"
"Someone who won't let you go after them." Trunks answered.
"Heh! So you think you're fast enough to stop me?" Racer snickered.
"Oh, I know I'm fast enough to handle you, but this isn't my fight. I'm just here to watch and make sure you don't chase down that ship…that is, if you can beat her!" Trunks said before pointing to the rocks.
Purple beams of light burst out of the rubble before exploding and Mira flew out in her Demon God Halphas form. "Didn't you hear me? Stop!" Mira shouted as she dashed at Racer and tried to kick him but he dodged the strike, letting the boulder he was on get smashed from her attack. Racer ran around the battlefield with Mirajane right on his tail.
Trunks watched attentively as the She Devil chased the Oracion. "Now we'll of Gohan's theory was right; if Ki and Magic can boost someone's power when synced together." He thought.
Back at the guildhall, the other members were waiting any sort of good news when Jet came and announced "Hey! Kinana's not here!"
"She's not?!" Cana asked.
"Is there a problem?" Makarov asked Macao.
"Well, her attacks have been happening more frequently over the past several days." The 4th master replied.
"It's not just here, Juvia and Romeo are gone too!" Jet reported.
"That's not good news," Makarov said.
Deep inside the ship, the three Fairies just reported missing were hiding as their comrades worked to repair the damage down by Racer. "Man that was close! That guy could've got one of us!" Romeo said. "I can't believe I let you guys talk me into this."
"Weren't you already planning to sneak onboard the Christina" Juvia inquired.
"Yeah, but my plan didn't involve escorting two ladies into danger!" Romeo argued. "If that Racer hit any of us, we might've fallen off the ship without any of our friends knowing!"
"Well that didn't happen, and now Mira is fighting one of the Neo Oracion Seis which means we can make it to our destination without any problems. We'll be fine." Juvia said before turning to their purple haired guildmate. "Right Kinana?"
"I can hear it. Your voice…calling out to me," Kinana muttered to herself as she leaned against the wall.
Juvia and Romeo looked at their friend and gave her worried looks. "Why did you to take her with you anyway Juvia?" Romeo questioned the water mage.
"She's a friend and I saw her in pain." Juvia replied. "Ever since she this situation started, she's been desperately trying to find answers about that dear friend of hers that promised to find her. I understand the others are trying to protect her, but keeping her away wasn't helping. Love is powerful, too powerful for those bound by it to be kept apart from each other; that's why when she planned to sneak away on her own, I had to help her get to her friend. That way I could keep her safe and help get past her pain."
Romeo thought about what the water mage said and nodded "That makes sense. Maybe going to see this friend is what she needs rather than just waiting for him to show up." He said with a smile. "I'm surprise that was the reason you gave Juvia; I thought it would've been more…related to Gray."
"Actually, everything I told you was the second reason I'm here! Standing beside my darling Gray and keeping him safe is my main reason for stepping into danger! Plus he's going to rescue one of my love rivals, I fear that she'll feel so grateful that she'll do anything to express her gratitude to him, and I can't let her steal him from no matter what!" Juvia admitted with a paranoid look.
"Should've expected that," Romeo deadpanned before he went over to check on Kinana. "Hey Kinana, are you ok?"
"I'm fine, just a little anxious," Kinana answered. "I just hope I find him."
"Don't worry, if he's there then you'll meet him for sure." Romeo assured. "We'll help both you and Lucy!"
Meanwhile, the magic energy being released from the Infinity Clock had spread to the area around Zentopia, many people, places, and things were affected by its time corruption; at this time Lahar, Mest, Tyson, and the Indian Knight Trio were back at one of their bases reporting what they discovered through communication lacrima to one of their superiors, the Council Chairman Gran Doma. "You believe Cardinal Lapointe was the one who helped the Neo Oracion Seis escape from prison?" he asked Lahar from inside the meeting chamber.
"Yes sir, in fact I'm certain of it." Lahar replied. "With your permission Chief Tyson and I would like to investigate further and take immediate action."
"I'm sorry, but I simply cannot allow you to do that." Gran Doma denied the request.
Lahar glanced at his superior in confusion "I don't understand, can you tell me why sir?" Lahar asked.
"It's for your own safety; you don't realize the power that Zentopia holds! And now that we know that there beings capable of surpassing even Chief Tyson's power, it's clear what little chance we have against the enemy now." Gran Doma answered.
"Sir, please reconsider, we must stop the Infinity Clock while we still can!" Hugo insisted as he stepped forward. "It's not just us, but the Fairy Tail mages we've partnered up with; together we may have a chance!"
"I'm sorry sir Steelsoul but I cannot take that chance, nor can I put my faith in those reckless mages! You're all to stand down and hold your positions until further notice! That is an order!" Gran Doma answered.
"But sir…" Lahar was about to speak before the message was cut off; Lahar turned to look back at his comrades and sighed in defeat. "Well I tried, but no luck."
"We heard," Mest said.
"So that's it?! We're just gonna sit around and do nothing while the world is thrown into chaos?!" Weinheidt asked.
"Hugo please, we have to change their minds!" Jillian pleaded.
"Gran Doma is too stubborn, he's not going to let us go this time, even Chief Tyson will not be able convince him to let us take action, he's too afraid of how this will affect the council if we fail." Hugo said.
"I'm sorry; I can't believe the council has rendered us powerless. If we can't act in a crisis, how can we lead the Custody Enforcement Units?" Lahar inquired.
"Don't lose heart guys, if they're not going to help up, then we'll just do it ourselves," Mest said.
"Took the words right out of my mouth pal," Tyson said as he showed up dressed in his old attire before he came to Earthland. "How do I look ya'll? Been a while since I put on this get up again!"
"What's with the clothes Chief?" Weinheidt asked.
"Since those geezers ain't gonna give us the go ahead signal, I decided to act on my own." Tyson explained. "Tyson Hammer is off duty, which means no need to wear the formal clothes so that I'm not seen as an officer disobeying orders but as a ruffian doing what he wants to. I got a score to settle and I ain't gonna let anything hold me back from it."
"Are you sure you wanna do this Chief? The Council could have you fired." Jillian pointed out.
"If those uptights wanna take my badge, then so be it! I'll do what I do best, and that's breaking the nuts of lowlifes, it'll be better cause then they won't be anyone telling me that it's not fitting for a Chief!" Tyson replied. "Now, are you Indians in or out?"
"Of course we're in sir!" Weinheidt answered.
"We'll offer our support in any way we can!" Jill said.
"The Indian Knight Trio will always stand beside you Chief Tyson!" Hugo declared. Just then, the Rune Knights spotted a large black air ship flying beside their base; the Indian Knights didn't recognize it, but Tyson, Mest, and Lahar did. "What's that?"
"That's Grimoire Heart's ship! But what are they doing here?" Lahar asked.
"Relax ya'll, those are just some old pals of mine comin' to say howdy," Tyson explained. "Been a while since the gang had some fun together." The Ship parked by the base window and opened up; stepping into the base were two superior looking Rune Knights. The first was an elderly muscular man with a pair of bushy eyebrows, a defined nose, and large, light-colored hair. His height is taller than Hugo but would be shorter than Super Android 13 if he was present; he also has a bushy mustache and eyes resembling that of a lion's. He also wore a high-collared, light-colored coat over his Rune Knight uniform (similarly like the one Pantherlily wears in Avatar arc) with the Magic Council's insignia on the back and black pants and boots.
The second was a middle aged woman with milk chocolate brown hair that is a little longer than a shoulder length, and green eyes. Her outfit consisted of a white cloak with hood, a blue beret, white gloves, short skirt with pants, long black socks, and military boots alongside a female version of a Rune Knight uniform dress and carried two giant pistols holstered at her waistlines; she also wore a pair of rose tinted glasses that is a Magic Power Finder Device, allowing her to read the MPF Levels of anyone she encounters. The two came up to Chief Tyson looking quite serious. "Yo, Balderich, Amber! Glad you got my message! How ya been?" Tyson greeted them.
The two still looked serious at the Cyborg before their faces grew small smiles on them. "Tyson, I'm happy to see you again. Glad you called for once." Balderich said as he fist bumped with the Redneck.
"Wished you'd call up to catch up on old times, but if we're happy to help in you need it." Amber said, embracing Tyson.
"Wait a minute, I know you." Lahar said as he recognized the newcomers. "You're Balderich Wilhelm and Amber Celadon, Head Captains of the 1st and 2nd Custody Enforcement Unit, respectively!"
"At your service!" Balderich said. "You're Lahar, Chief Marshal of the 4th Custody Enforcement Unit. Tyson's told us all about you."
"And you're Doranbolt, the Council spy used to gather Intel on Fairy Tail." Amber said while raising an eyebrow. "Although, I don't recall the council ever deciding they need a spy to infiltrate a guild."
"Yeah, well, it was suppost to be to secret. Not many knew about my mission." Mest replied nervously.
"Hmm, if you say so." She then turned her attention to Tyson's subordinates. "So this is the team you've assembled, the Indian Knight Trio you called it."
"I am Lieutenant Hugo Steelsoul. It is an honor to meet the esteemed Captains of the 1st and 2nd Custody Enforcement Unit who helped Chief Tyson when he was a…" Hugo started to say before pausing.
"A heartless, mechanical bastard?" Balderich inquired.
"Something like that." Hugo replied.
"It was our pleasure; we did more than just trained Rune Knights and capture criminals. We tended to lost souls that need a path to walk down." Amber said.
"I'm Jillian Solaris, Corporal and combat healer!" Jillian said excitedly. "I heard tales of a female Rune Knight who was said to be one of the best in the Custody Enforcement Unit, but to meet you is just…incredible! You're even in Sorcerer Weekly!"
"Thank you dear, you're not too bad yourself. Tyson's told me about what you can do; you've got potential to be better than me one day." Amber said.
"Thank you," Jill said.
"I'm Philip Weinheidt, specialist and pro hunter." Weinheidt said. "So what magic do you use and why are you here?"
"Balderich uses a magic called Combo Star. It allows this ruffian to grow stronger with every blow he lands on a target. However, if interrupted his strength defuses and he has to start over; he usual number of blows are 50, and no one has ever withstood more than that, well aside from me." Tyson explained "This lady's magic is called gun magic where she can fire powerful Magic bullets of different variety for versatility; she's so darn good, she could even outclass our little hunter here."
"As to why we're here, Tyson called us to help with this crisis." Amber said. "It's a good thing he did, especially since the council won't be offering you any support."
"And with the Real Nightmare spreading throughout Fiore, you're gonna need as many Rune Knights to protect the good people while ya led the assault on the enemy." Balderich agreed. "So ya'll better not waste anymore time. Hear you got other mages on the already job? Better go lend them a hand!"
"Excellent! Now let's get moving ya'll!" Tyson ordered as he and his students prepared to leave. "You ladies coming?" He asked Lahar and Mest.
"We'll catch up; we still need to relay the situation to the other Custody Enforcement Officers." Lahar answered. "We'll be there to apprehend the dark mages when they're defeated."
"We'll be there as soon as we can, so make sure you beat those guys for us and the Council!" Mest said.
"Good luck Tyson, you've really changed from the lost soul we found seven years ago! Now go prove it!" Amber said.
"You got this Chief, do us proud! Then when you're done, you can treat me and Amber to drinks so we can catch up!" Balderich said.
"You got it! I know this great place with the best wine! Alright ya'll, let's move out!" Tyson ordered the Cyborg and his disciples then revved up their Ki before blasting off into sky to fly towards the Infinity Clock.
At Zentopia the followers were in distress as time became out of control; a magic screen suddenly appeared above, with the face of their grand leader. His eyes were void of life as he came to make an announcement. Many of the Zentopians started asking questions about the chaos that was brewing and were requesting answers; the Archbishop raised his hand for silence and began to speak. "Let me assure you there is no reason to be afraid, this is simply the only way, Zentopia can rectify the world." Many of the followers muttered in confusion about what their leader told them. "After the rectification, the world shall be reborn. From that point forward, it shall follow a new path." In his quarters, Cardinal Lapointe stood behind the Archbishop smiling wickedly.
Somewhere within the courtyard, Lady Solaseed was tending to Lord Byro's injuries as they both watched the Archbishop's speech before it ended and the screen vanished. "Thank you Lady Solaseed, I am truly grateful." Byro said when she finished. "So that what their plan is, use the Neo Oracion Seis to destroy churches, eliminate all body links, and plunge time into chaos. But will this truly rectify the world?"
"I don't know. Everything I've ever learned and taught about Zentopia tells me that this isn't a righteous path for the world to take, and Zentopia is in no position to lead if this is how we want to rectify the world." Solaseed replied. "Does this mean that everything we've done…is wrong?"
"I wish I knew. Attacking churches, fighting guild wizards, allying with dark ones and bringing about the inevitable chaos we're tasked with preventing; nothing makes sense anymore." Byro stated. "Until we get answers, we are duty bound to sacrifice the girl and protect the Infinity Clock."
"So what? We're just suppost to stand by and do nothing while the world is ending?!" Solaseed asked her comrade.
"No!" Byro answered as he stood up. "If that boy and his friends have taught me anything it's that I can't just follow orders without question! I will not stand around and let the world be consumed by darkness."
"So, what are you going to do?" Solaseed inquired.
"I will go and see to the Archbishop." Byro replied.
"What? Why? You know what'll happen if Cardinal Lapointe finds out you're here." Solaseed said.
"Yes. If am caught here, I will most likely be imprisoned or executed for disobeying the orders I was given." Byro said. "But still, even though I'm a traitor I have to speak to his eminence face to face; I need to ask him if this is truly what he wants for the future of Zentopia. I need to hear him say it directly. If this is what he desires…then I cannot abide by it."
"Do you want to get the others?" Solaseed asked.
"No, if they associate with me now, they will also be known as traitors, I had no choice but to come to you because of my injuries. I will settle this alone as too not burden them. I will stop this no matter who I have to face be it the Cardinal or the Archbishop. I will do whatever it takes to save this world and our doctrines…even if I have to take the Archbishop's place." Byro declared.
"Are you saying that you'll even kill the Archbishop if you have to?" the nun asked.
"I will do whatever it takes," Byro replied.
"That wasn't what I asked," Solaseed said. "Well, let me come with you."
"You shouldn't risk your status by helping me. I will be fine by myself." Byro assured.
"Even if I didn't believe that, I need to heal his grace. I was suppost to do so before this all happened, maybe that's why he's doing this." Solaseed said. "As a healer it's my duty to heal all those in need."
Byro grunted as he nodded to the nun. "Very well, the moment we sense that Lapointe has left the Archbishop's quarters we will go see him at once!"
With the Fairy rescue team, Jenny Realight had just finished with repairing the Christina Advance and the crew had resumed their journey towards the Infinity Clock. "Men! Hang on Lucy! I, Ichiya, along with this elite Fairy Tail team will save them from the enemies' clutches!" Ichiya announced as he stood at the figurehead while the other stood ready on deck; the soared through the dark clouds as it came closer to its destination.
"Oh yeah, you tell em! This is for my big sis who's taking on Racer!" Elfman declared.
"Be strong, we'll be there soon." Erza said.
"I hope she'll be okay," Wendy said.
"Don't worry, she'll be fine. Gohan's there too, and he's probably trying to save here right now!" Happy said.
"Yeah, the kid's real strong. He'll keep em busy til we get there to help." Gray said.
"Then let's hurry and kick some butt!" Warren said.
"You're extra manly for saying that Warren!" Elfman commended.
"Geez, talk about a bunch of idiots," Gajeel said acting pessimistic.
"My Christina Advance, the magic bomber, we are counting on you to lead us into the fray! Take us to the grand Cathedral of Zentopia! Men!" Ichiya shouted out while posing. As they got closer, they saw an explosion from nearby; the Rune Knights military had attempted to attack the Infinity Clock but were affected by the spell and their attacks were repelled back at them. "It seems the Military are in a state of chaos as well,"
"Is it because of the Real Nightmare?" Erza Inquired.
"Screw this!" Gajeel yelled as he raised his fist; a split second later, the Iron Dragon was turned into a frail old man. "That stupid clock, I'm gonna pound its face in!"
"Oh yeah? And how you gonna do that old timer?" a buff Warren asked.
"Whoa, when did Warren get so muscular?!" Gray asked, looking like a kid.
"That's a real man for ya!" Elfman said looking very flat.
"What heck?! Why am I a shrimp?! Did that jerk Dan hit with his spear again?!" Natsu asked.
"Ha ha! You got turned into a pipsqueak again!" Gray laughed.
"Don't call me pipsqueak ya icy twerp!" Natsu yelled.
"Who ya calling a twerp you fire ant?! I'll squish you right now!" Gray yelled back while raising his foot.
"Goodness, everyone looks so different now!" an adult Wendy stated in shock.
"You can say that again! You're all grown up Wendy!" Carla said.
"And you've turned into a cute little Raccoon dog!" Happy observed.
"Meanwhile, you've turned into a mangy old mutt!" Lily said, looking like a bunny rabbit.
"Hey Carla, do you think Gohan will like this new me?!" Wendy asked while posing.
"Beats me, but I totally dig it!" All the guys said.
"Stupid morons!" Carla yelled.
"Hey! What happened to my glorious twin tigers?! They're gone!" Jenny said as she looked like a Petite girl with a flat chest. "This blows! On the bright side, I can see my feet and my back has no pain!"
"This is bad, everyone's been affected by Real Nightmare!" Erza stated.
"Even me! I've become Moulin Rouge again huh!" a younger Bisca said a she looked at her hand mirror.
"Whoa, you look like the day you joined Fairy Tail!" Gray and Natsu said.
"Man, haven't seen this face in years! Used to love it, but now it reminds me of the bad things I've done before I joined the guild! I hope my Asuka doesn't go through the same thing." Bisca said.
"No one is how they should be! This is truly a chaotic situation!" Erza said before she noticed something. "Wait a minute! How come nothing bizarre has happened to me? Hold on, that must be it! Requip!" Titania quickly brought out the holy hammer she received for the mission. "I can use the weapon that Jean Luc gave me to counteract Real Nightmare's waves; it's said to be able to ward off evil! Here goes!" Erza charged at her friends and struck them all in the head with the large hammer; each one of them went flying with a large bump on their heads.
"Jeez, did you have to hit us so hard?!" Gray cried before he and everyone else change back to their old selves.
"We're back to normal!" Everyone stated.
Inside the grand Cathedral, Coco and Gohan were making their way through the halls; they crossed the stone bridge, the athlete led the way with the Saiyan behind her. "You sure this is the way to the Archbishop?" Gohan asked her.
"Yes. But why do you want to see the Archbishop?" Coco asked.
"I could ask you the same thing." Gohan said. "I need to know where Lucy is being held and who better to ask than the guy in charge of Zentopia since I can't sense Rancor or any of the Neo Oracion Seis. Your turn, why do you want to see him?"
"I have something to ask him too. I need to know if this chaos is what he really wants," Coco replied.
"And what if it is?" Gohan asked.
"Then I can't go along with it. If this is the Archbishop's goal, then I will do what I can to stop it." Coco said.
"You heard the speech he just made, seemed like that should answer your question," Gohan said.
"I want to hear him say directly," Coco said seriously.
Gohan nodded as he understood her intentions; he then stopped as he sensed something coming at them. "Look out!" he cried as he grabbed Coco and jumped back, evading the large green head that nearly smashed them. The creature standing before them raised its head up and glared at the two kids. "What is this thing?" Gohan asked.
"He's Gatman, the Cleaner." Coco answered.
"The Cleaner?" Gohan inquired.
The green monster started laughing as he rubs what should be his hands together. "This is gonna be fun, you've got a lot of magic in ya Coco." Gatman said to the girl before addressing the boy. "And even though I can't sense any magic from you, I'm betting that you've got a ton of it."
"Be careful, he's stronger than he looks," Coco warned.
"Really? Good, I could use a little warm up before the real fight." Gohan said while smirking.
"You've really turned traitor huh Coco. That's not good; we're suppose to stay faithful to Zentopia's doctrines silly girl, that means we can never question it." Gatman stated.
"Is that so? And what if I say that I question it?" Gohan asked.
"Then I'll have to teach you a lesson boy!" Gatman said as a green magic circle appeared at Gohan's side.
"What's he doing?" Gohan asked.
"Watch out, it's Rupture magic!" Coco said.
"I can expand all the magic power in my target's body til they go boom-boom!" Gatman explained. The circle rotated around the Saiyan before it suddenly disappeared. "What?! Why didn't you go boom?!" Gatman asked before raising his hand to try again. Three more magic circles appeared around the Saiyan but just as before, they vanished without harming the fighter. "Why can't I make you go boom?! Let's try this!" Gatman then directed his magic circles around Coco; the athlete suddenly became surrounded in green light before exploding. She screamed as her body was consumed in a combustion of her own magic power.
"Coco!" Gohan cried before facing the Cleaner with anger. "What did you do to her?!"
"I used my magic to make her increase until it went boom inside her, and as long as my target has magic I can use my rupture magic on them over and over again." Gatman said while glaring at the Saiyan "But for some reason, my magic won't work on you!"
"That's because I don't have magic in me!" Gohan answered. "I don't have time to play with you, and I'm not letting you hurt my friend again!" The Demi Saiyan then charged at the Cleaner faster than he could react and kicked him in the huge head; Gatman was sent tumbling across the bridge before he stopped and fell unconscious. The Z Fighter quickly went to check on the athlete. "Coco, are you ok?" he asked while offering his hand to her.
"I'm a little banged up, but I'll be fine." Coco answered as she accepted it and was pulled to her feet. "Why'd you say we're friends?"
"Huh? Cause we are." Gohan answered. "You're helping me to save my friend, so that makes you my friend too." The Saiyan smiled at the girl who looked surprised at first but then smiled back; Gohan's face suddenly turned serious when he sensed another presence. "Someone else is here!" The two turned to the left and spotted the conductor mage on another bridge.
"Aw, you kids look totally cute together," Mary Hughes said.
"Hughes!" Coco said in surprise.
"You again!" Gohan exclaimed as he instinctively raised his hand and prepared to fire a Ki blast at the mage.
"Whoa, hold on boy! I didn't come to fight you!" Mary Hughes said holding her hands up; she then dropped her conductor wand on the bridge floor. "See? I'm like totes powerless without my wand, can't use my conducting art without it."
"Gohan wait! I don't think she wants to fight, let's hear her out." Coco suggested.
"Fine." Gohan complied as he canceled his attack. "So why are you here?"
"I thought that everybody who opposed the Archbishop was like totally evil," Hughes explained while looking saddened. "But with guys like Gatman and the Neo Oracion Seis hanging around, I totally can't tell whose evil anymore! I'm totally confused! That's why I wanna go with you guys to see the Archbishop; I need to find out the truth."
"Hughes," Coco said sympathizing with her comrade. "Let's take her with us, please Gohan."
So you wanna find out the truth too? Fine, but we'd better hurry then!" Gohan said.
"Thanks kid." Hughes said. "The stairs to the Archbishop's quarters should be right above us."
"Alright then, hang on!" Gohan instructed as he grabbed the girls by the waist and flew upward; he then charged up his Ki and fired an energy blast at the ceiling, bursting a hole through it, allowing them to fly to the stairs.
Elsewhere, Mira and Racer were engaged in speed combat; the Oracion dashing around the battlefield with the She Devil hot in pursuit. Trunks stood by the sidelines, following every movement of both mages. Mira tried to kick the speed demon in the air but disappeared, evading her strike; he appeared on the ground then vanished again just before Mira could stomp on him. "Heh, I'm too fast!" Racer snickered when he was in the air again; Mira appeared right behind him, surprising him before he disappeared again. "You can't…keep up…with me!" He then sensed Mira behind him and turned to see their reaching out to grab him; his face became frightened when he saw an image of the Zeref Cultist guard doing the same thing in Mira's place, reminding him of his past fear. His moment of hesitation allowed the She Devil to kick him in the gut.
Racer quickly disappeared and began running away from the Fairy; as Mira chased him down, Racer saw the previous image in her place once again. "Stay away!" he cried as he jumped into the air, only for Mira to appear right behind. "Stay away!" Faster than he could react, she struck him in the stomach again, sending him crashing into the ground; as he landed on his back and glanced up, her saw that she was already standing there before him.
"Not bad, Mira has proven to be much faster than this guy," Trunks thought.
"Just give up the fight, there's no way you'll beat me!" Mira declared. Racer quickly backed away from her and began to snarl. "Faster…make me…even faster!" he yelled surprising the Fairy. The lines on this tracksuit started glowing read as steam came out of his mouth and he growled at Mira like a wild predator baring his fangs in anger. "What did you do?" she asked but he gave no answer. Racer suddenly vanished and Mira received a kick to the back from the Oracion. "You've increased your speed!" She tried to counter but he easily dodged her strike catching her off guard by slamming her into the dirt. Racer cackled before disappearing and surrounding Mirajane with multiple images of himself; the Elder Strauss was suddenly hit numerous times, crying out in pain while Racer continued to laugh.
"So, the faster he gets the more sanity he loses, becoming wild and animal like." Trunks thought as he watched. "Hang in there Mira."
"Ok, I admit you're fast. However…" Mira said as all of the Racers jumped to attack her. She quickly vanished from their sight; Mira flew through the battlefield evading all the images of Racer that tried to catch her, proving once again to be faster than him. She suddenly appeared in the sky with the original Racer locked in a full nelson. The others faded out of existence while the real one squirmed to get free. She dive bombed towards the earth with Racer in her clutches, releasing him at the last second, saving herself as her opponent crash landed and made a large crater from the impact. Mira slowly descended in front of the crater as Racer got to his knees.
"I don't…understand...how are you…so fast?" Racer asked as he glanced at the She Devil, revealing part of his mask broke exposing his eye.
"Simple, I'm not running away." Mira replied.
Racer stared at her with wide eyes before his expression turned angry. "No…it can't be! NO ONE CAN BE FASTER THAN ME! IT'S NOT TRUE!" he roared as he pulled out the small veil with the enhanced combat drug; he quickly gulped it all down and tossed the veil away. His eyes turned bright red as his body exploded in a flash of light. "I AM RACER! THE SPEED DEMON OF THE NEO ORACION SEIS, THE FASTEST IN EARTHLAND!" he declared.
"What's happening?!" Mira asked as she shielded her face.
"His energy has increased drastically. He must've taken the combat drug, his Ki is completely unstable." Trunks said.
Racer growled at Mira before charging at her; her eyes grew wide as he appeared to have zoomed right past her and stopped behind her. Mira turned to look at him before her body suddenly felt like it had been struck a hundred times. "W-What happened?! W-When did he hit me?! And where did he attack from, was it my back or front?!" Mira thought as she fell to her knees.
"What's wrong? Didn't you see me? I wasn't even trying!" Racer sneered as he turned to rush at the She Devil; he phased in front of her and moved his right fist at rapid speed, striking her multiple times. Mira slid across the ground before stopping and slowly got back up. "Hmm, that was about twenty hits and yet you're still on your feet. Impressive," Racer said making Mira look at him with a shocked expression. "Are you surprised? Maybe it'd be better if I slowed down a bit." Racer suddenly appeared in front of and gave her one blow after another. Mira managed to slip away from his attacks and flew into the air to get away; she turned to see Racer chasing after her and close behind while laughing. Mira quickly changed directions when she saw Racer getting close. As Mira continued to fly she noticed that Racer had vanished from behind her; she looked ahead and immediately stopped when she saw Racer was in her path waiting. "What kept you so long? The seconds felt like hours!" Racer said mockingly.
Before she could react, Racer struck her again but this time he stood right behind her and grabbed her tail; the Halphas was slammed numerous times before Racer dragged her across the earth and tossed her into a large rock. Racer cackled, believing to have won before he glanced at the Saiyan. "What's the matter? Are you jealous of my speed? Or are you upset that your friend was victim to it?" Racer asked Trunks when he saw his angry expression. "You shouldn't have just stood there and watch, now you'll have to face my incredible speed alone."
"You think that's gonna be a problem for me?!" the Z Fighter asked as he revved up his energy; the two stared down each other as they prepared to fight.
"W-Wait, Trunks." Mira said getting both males' attention. "I-I'm not done yet. I can handle this guy."
"Are you sure?" Trunks inquired.
"Yes! Trust me, I've got this!" Mira assured.
Trunks was hesitant at first, but he remembered the power boost received before hand and saw her determination; figured she must have a plan, he back down and said "Alright Mira, take him down!"
"Thank you," Mira said as she walked towards the speed demon.
"Heh. You're not just slow in moving, you're slow in learning," Racer said. "You can't beat me of you can't match my speed."
"You sure about that?" Mira asked as her body suddenly summoned a magic seal before being consumed by the light; she then changed into an athletically toned woman in a sleeveless skintight suit that shows a cleavage window, small demonic batwings on her back, and chains wrapped around her wrists. "Satan Soul Form, Saleos!" She exclaimed before she disappeared and reappeared in front of Racer, striking him in the face. Racer tumbled on the ground before getting up and looking at Mira, confused. Mira's body then started emitting a gold outline as she phased and punched Racer in the stomach before doing it again to his back and the kicking him in the chin.
"Impossible…how did you…get faster?" Racer asked.
"I got a little help from a friend," she answered as she glanced at Trunks and smiled.
Trunks nodded back to her as he thought "The Ki has started to awaken from inside her, and now it's enhancing her powers,"
"You may be fast, but only one of us can be the fastest." Racer declared. "So why don't we find out who's faster?"
"You're on! But know this, even if you're ten times faster than me, I won't lose!" Mira accepted. The two mages dashed at each other, bashing at amazing speeds. The two zoomed around the landscape each one trying to get ahead of the other; eventually, Racer got ahead of Mira and kicked her in the face, she quickly recovered and chased after the Oracion.
Trunks followed the She Devil and Speed Demon's movement with his eyes as he started to become unnerved again. "Even with her Ki increase, he's still faster than her! I don't like this one bit!" he thought.
As the two mages sped across the rocky environment, Mira managed to get ahead of Racer but he was still close behind; Racer once again took the lead and was about to strike the Take-Over mage when suddenly dived to ground level and stood there waiting for her enemy to come at her. Racer looked surprised at first but then smirked as he dashed at her; Mira made no attempt to dodge or block as she was struck but the Oracion. Racer hit Mira a few times; she winced a bit but still stood her ground. Racer stopped attacking and grinned before he asked "What's the matter? Can't keep up anymore?"
"No, I just got tired of running." Mira replied.
"Heh, Heh, is that so? Well, let me give you the rest you deserve!" Racer offered. He ran at Mirajane who once again didn't move; Racer ran around in a full circle, creating multiple afterimages in the process. "Hope this isn't too slow for you. I can faster if you want."
"You're just having fun with your new speed, but like I said before, you won't be fast enough to beat me." Mira said as a magic circle appeared under her feet. "So if you're going to attack, then attack!"
"Alright then, I'll make this quick!" Racer said as he charged at the S-Class mage. Mira was then engulfed in a bright light as Racer struck; when appeared at the other side, Mira appearance had changed. She now resembled an 8 foot tall fully spiky armored Demon with four arms, two wielding Hellblades, one a staff and one a shield.
"Satan Soul Form, Cocytus!" Mira announced now in her new form.
"Another form huh? Well it won't make a difference!" Racer said as he charged at Mira again; the Fairy just held her arms up to brace herself for impact. Racer struck Mira, but she felt no pain; he tried again and got the same result. Irritated, Racer ran in every direction and attacked his opponent from all sides, but no matter how many times he bashed the She Devil, she didn't budge at all. Racer landed every blow he threw, but Mira still stood, showing no sign of taking damage from the repeated strikes. Racer then stopped and started breathing heavily as he stared at Mira in confusion. "H-How? At my speed, I should've taken you down by now? How are you still standing?" he inquired.
"Like I said, I got tired of running, so I decided to take you head on! And this form allows me to do just that!" Mira answered "My Cocytus form increases my defense, allowing me to withstand nearly any attack! You may have speed, but I've noticed that your attacks lack the strength to put me down! You'll just end up wearing yourself out at this rate, give up!"
"NEVER!" Racer yelled as he attacked Mira again; over and over again, he struck her wherever he could, but he still couldn't make her buckle. He then stopped, taking a few breathes again as he felt slight pain in his muscles; he looked at his hands to see that his palms were bleeding while his arms and legs were aching. He looked at Mira with fear who glared back at him; seeing her angry expression with her helmet on made the Oracion once again see the image of his past nightmare, the Cultist guard.
"Where you running to kid?!" the image asked while reaching to grab him.
Racer face was full of fright as he cried "No, stay away!" He turned away from the Demon Take-Over mage and attempted to run.
"You won't get away! Ominous Nebula!" Mira shouted as she pointed her upper left hand at the Oracion speedster. Dark energy formed around her hand and began to rotate at immense speed, creating a black vortex; the rocks in the landscape began to crumble before being sucked into the demonic vacuum. Racer ran away from Mira until the vortex caught and started to pull him back towards her. Mira's power began to rise from her Ki increase and the vortex began expand, sucking more of the battlefield into it, even Trunks had charge his power in order to resist the suction force. Racer ran frantically on all fours but was incapable of completely escaping Mirajane's attack. "Stop running and face me!" she demanded as he was eventually overwhelmed by the vortex and sucked towards her. Mira then raised her upper right hand as she channeled magic power (and Ki) into it. "Hellblaze Omega!"She shouted as she swung her blade at the Oracion; Racer's eyes grew wide as he was struck with a massive blast wave that dug a long trench into the ground.
Racer laid on his side at the end of that trail, clearly defeated; Mira walked towards the dark mage looking at him with sympathy as he rose to his knees. "H-How? Even with…my speed…how did you…still beat me?" he asked weakly.
"I told you, it's cause I'm not running away," Mira answered again. "Unlike you, I'm moving forward. I have a purpose; the desire to protect my friends pushes me to fight harder, and faster." She stood before her defeated foe who just looked at her without answering. "If I may ask, what exactly are you running from?"
Racer seemed surprised by her question. "I'm not sure. I spent my entire life running; it's all I've ever known. I was always…running away." He answered as he remembered his time of torture and running in the Tower of Heaven.
"I know what it is; you've been running from yourself." Mira told him.
"From…myself?" Racer asked.
"Yes, you're fleeing from your past. All the pain, distress, and the fear; I know what it's like to try to escape it. I used to do the same thing myself." Mira explained as she recalled the time her sister supposedly died. "I tried to run, but it never helped. Believe me when I say, I understand your heartache."
"Everyone has something they run from," Trunks said as he appeared beside the She Devil. "Even me, I also spent my life running from my fears. Then one day, I stopped; physically could still keep going, but mentally, and emotionally, I couldn't bring myself to run anymore. I decided in order to get over my fears I had to run towards my problems, instead of away."
"No one can run forever, no matter how fast they are. Sometimes, it's better to stand your ground and face your past." Mira said. Racer looked at both of them, completely speechless; he then rose to his feet and turned to walk away. No longer having the strength to run, he stumbled with every step he took. "Where are you going? No one's chasing you." Mira said as she changed back to herself; Racer stopped realizing that she was right. "There's no need to run anymore." Racer's mask suddenly broke and fell to pieces, exposing his face; he started shaking as he felt relief of not having to flee again and collapsed from exhaustion. Trunks walked over to the fallen Oracion and placed his hand on his back; Racer's body glowed for a second before fading. "Is he gonna be alright?"
"He'll be fine. His life force was fading fast so I stabilized it." Trunks explained. "I think it's time we joined the others."
"Yeah, let's g…" Mira stated to say before she was cut off by a slight pain; she started coughing up a little blood.
"Mira! Are you ok?!" Trunks asked.
"I'm fine. That Cocytus form takes a lot out of me." Mira assured.
"Maybe you should sit this one out, leave the mission to your friends and me." Trunks suggested.
"I'm fine Trunks, really. I've still got some fight left in me!" Mira said
"Hmm, alright." Trunks said before he hit her with a small energy blast. "I gave you a little of my energy, you'll need it if you still plan on fighting."
"Thanks, now let's get going!" Mira said.
"Are you sure it's ok to just leave him there?" Trunks asked about Racer.
"Well, it doesn't look like he's going to be a problem again, I think we'd better take him with us just in case. Now come on, We have to help our friends and complete the mission." Mira said.
"You got it! Get on my back, it'll be faster if I fly us there." Trunks said as he picked up the speed demon. Mira wrapped her arms around his neck as he grabbed her legs. "Hold on tight!" he instructed as he turned Super Saiyan and flew into the direction of the Infinity Castle.
At the heart of the Infinity Clock, Brain II, Angel and Cobra stood at the bottom of the stairs where Lucy was still being held with Imitatia guarding her. "Racer has fallen; even with the combat drug's power he was still defeated." Midnight stated. "Angel, Cobra, you must stop them at once!" His subordinates obeyed and left to face their enemies when they arrived.
Outside, the Christina Advance had finally made it to the Infinity Clock that was right above the Zentopian Cathedral; the guards immediately spotted the intruders and took action. "It's Fairy Tail!" One shouted.
"Keep them away from the Cathedral!" the captain ordered. "Hurry men, fire!" The soldiers raised their spears and fired numerous magic blasts at the flying ship; the ship continued to get closer as none of the blast had managed to damage it.
"Ha ha! Never underestimate the Christina Advance!" Ichiya declared. "Jenny, prepare the weapons!"
"Yes sir!" Jenny complied as she aimed the ships guns at the soldiers. "Weapons ready!"
"Fire!" Ichiya ordered. The Christina's cannons fired numerous blue blasts at the soldiers, scattering them and knocking them aside.
"Oh wow! That was awesome!" Happy said as Ichiya looked proud.
Down below, Byro and Solaseed were watching as the rescue team invaded their territory. "Looks like they finally showed up." Solaseed said.
"So, we meet again Fairy Tail. Though my faith in Zentopia is wavering, I still have a duty to uphold as its soldier. I have no choice but to attack them." Byro said as his pet octopus came behind him. "Go Kanaloa!" The giant sea creature on land jumped on command and flew at the Christina Advance.
"You've got to be joking. You're octopus is no match for us! Men!" Ichiya declared. The ship fired the same attacks from before, but they jumped bounced off the creature's head.
"It deflected all of the shots!"
"Damn it! Jenny, fire the bolter cannon quickly!" Ichiya ordered.
"Right! You ready to use that thing?" Jenny asked Bisca.
"You betcha! Just tell where to shoot!" the sniper replied. She aimed the newly added bolter cannon at the Octopus. "One fried Octopus coming right up!" She pulled the trigger, activating the weapon and firing a massive blast of magic power at her target. Kanaloa easily evaded the blasts and stretched his tentacles towards the ship. "It dodged the blast!" Kanaloa wrapped it slimy appendages around the Christina Advance, capturing it in its clutches.
"What a perilous parfum!" Ichiya stated.
"Hurry up and knock it off the ship!" Erza ordered as she brought out a sword and tried to slash one of Kanaloa's tentacles. Natsu, Gajeel, Gray, Laxus, and Wendy followed her lead and attacked the Octopus, but their attacks had no affect on the creature; Kanaloa started spraying its acid all over the ship, melting the mast, sail and the deck while nearly hitting warren.
"I'll leave you to handle the intruders Kanaloa. In the meantime, we're going to see the Archbishop and demand some answers!" Byro said as he and Solaseed left.
"We don't want a repeat of seven years ago! I have no other choice! Jenny, deploy spiral anchors! Men!" Ichiya ordered.
"Yes boss!" Jenny complied. Several chains shot out of the ship and wrapped around Kanaloa, binding him to the ship. "Now what sir? It's still attached to the ship!"
"I shall defeat it, by sacrificing the Christina Advance!" Ichiya declared as he stood on the ship's head. "Save yourselves before it's too late!" he said to the Fairies.
"Are you crazy?!" Laxus asked.
"But we can't leave you behind!" Wendy argued.
"Just do as I say!" Ichiya said without fear. The Fairies seemed hesitant in following captain's request as the ship continued to plummet.
"You heard him, get moving!" Erza shouted.
"Right!" All the Fairies complied as the jumped off the Christina and landed on the tree root that was attached to the Cathedral.
"Guess it's just you and me boss." Jenny said as she stood by her Captain.
"Go with them Jenny," Ichiya ordered.
"But sir…" she said before she was cut off.
"Priority is the mission, they may still need your help. I appreciate your willingness to stick by me, but our comrades need you more than I do!" Ichiya said.
"But what about you?!" Jenny asked.
"As Captain, I must go down with the ship. It is my duty as I take down this foe!" Ichiya replied. "Please go, show them what the mages of Blue Pegasus are capable of!"
Jenny looked at her Captain sadly as tears formed in her eyes; she turned away and said "Yes sir!" before jumping off to join the Fairy Tail wizards.
"Good luck, my friends." Ichiya bid them as the Christina Advance slammed against the side of the Cathedral, losing its left wing. "Men!" was the last thing heard before the ship crashed deep below the Cathedral and a pillar of smoke rose into the sky. The rescue team looked to where their comrade had fallen with pity and respect.
"Ichiya,' Wendy muttered.
"That jerk, acting cool to the very end." Gray said.
"Guy's got guts, I'll give him that." Laxus said.
"He was the manliest of men!" Elfman sobbed.
"Surviving danger is what Ichiya does best, I'm sure he'll be fine!" Erza assured. Jenny looked on with sad eyes but then nodded and looked up with determination. "Chin up everyone! Let's go find Gohan and Lucy!"
"Yeah!" they all said in agreement. The Rescue team quickly made their way up and entered the Zentopia Cathedral; there they stormed the castle, languishing through all the soldiers that stood before them. Suddenly, standing in their path was the newly repaired and upgraded 9 foot tall heavily armored Machias of the Legion Platoon, Centurion. "Who the heck is this guy?" Natsu asked.
"No way, that's Centurion!" Bisca stated.
"That's Zentopia's Machias?" Erza asked. "The one who saved you?"
"I thought you said he was dead!" Gray said.
"But we saw him get sucked into Brain II's spell!" Bisca said "How'd he survive? And why does he look different?"
"Who cares?" Natsu asked before jabbing a finger at the Machias. "Look pal, get out of our way! Or get burned!"
"Where there is uncertainty, I shall bring light! Where there is doubt, I shall sow faith! Where there is shame, I shall point out atonement! Where there is rage, I shall show its course! My word in the soul shall be as my bolter in the field!" Centurion declared as he stomped, unleashing a large wave of magic. "I am the one unbreakable shield against the coming darkness! I am the one last blade, forged in defiance of fate! And I am the one impenetrable fortress of war made to withstand and destroy all those oppose the will of Zentopia! I am Centurion, and I will eliminate all enemies of Zentopia!" The Machias then charged at the Rescue team with his fist ready; Erza reacted quickly by requipping to her Adamantine Armor and using her shield to block his punch. Centurion's attack shook the hall as Erza struggled to withstand it; her knees began to buckle as Centurion's power dug a crater in the floor.
"Leave her alone! Fire Dragon Iron Fist!" Natsu shouted as he socked the Machias with his fire fist, sending him flying backwards. Centurion shrugged it and used his flowing strike to smash the Fire Dragon Slayer into the ground; he then raised his sword and prepared to strike the fire mage. "Ice Make: Cold Excalibur!" Gray announced as he used his giant ice sword to block Centurion's blade. "Iron Dragon Club!" Gajeel yelled as he shifted his hand into a club and used it to pin the Machias to the wall. Centurion just placed his hand on the club and pushed against it, over powering the Iron Dragon Slayer until he was free.
"Damn, this guy's really strong," Natsu said.
"No joking, he took attacks from two Dragon Slayers and didn't even flinch!" Gajeel said.
"We have to break through, we can't stop now!" Erza said.
Centurion then cracked his neck before charging at the rescue team. Suddenly, Laxus blitzed right in front of the Machias, catching him off guard as he grabbed him. The two pushed against each other, their strength appearing to be even. "Don't just stand there! All of you get moving!" Laxus yelled to his former guildmates.
"We're not gonna leave here!" Natsu shouted.
"Don't be an idiot Laxus, let us help you take that guy!" Gray yelled.
"Now's not the time to act tough Laxus!" Gajeel said.
"Shut up! Just let me handle this guy!" Laxus ordered. "Don't worry, pretty boy gave that Ki increase too; looks like I'll get to use it sooner than I thought! Save your strength for the Neo Oracion Seis! Go now!"
"He's right! We can't waste anymore time here! We have to find our friends!" Erza said. "Let Laxus handle this, he's not an S-Class mage he's also a Dragon Slayer!" The others nodded and ran past the two brutes to continue their mission.
"You'd better not lose, ya hear me Laxus!" Natsu yelled. "You still owe me a rematch!"
"Heh! Sure thing Natsu!" Laxus agreed. When his friends were gone, he charged his body with lightning and kicked Centurion in the chin, twisting his neck backwards; he then jumped above the Machias with his hands above his head. "Lightning Dragon Jaw!" he shouted as he slammed his hands on Centurion, sending him crashing into a huge crater of the brutal impact on the ground, temporarily disorienting him. Laxus backed away as Centurion recovered and stood back up with his head turned 180 degrees; the Machias grabbed it and moved it back around before cracking his neck. "Weird," Laxus muttered.
"You are strong, I haven't been this damaged in years," Centurion stated. "However, I am programmed to serve the Archbishop and Zentopia; so I will defeat you and eliminate the interlopers before they get to his grace."
"Is that so? I don't really care about Zentopia or this Archbishop; but if you plan on hurting my friends, then you're in for a world of hurt pal!" Laxus roared as he charged lightning into his right fist. He charged at the Machias and punched him hard in the face with the ground cracking into another crater; Centurion just stood there, unfazed by the attack. "What the?"
"Analysis complete! Confirmed target, Laxus Dreyar, Dragon Slayer of the 2nd generation! Type of magic-Dragon Slaying! Element- Lightning!" Centurion stated as he grabbed Laxus' wrist. "Such element is inaffective against me; I have been extensively upgraded to resist lightning attacks!" He then punched Laxus in the gut, making him cough up blood before kicking him into the wall. Centurion then turned to chase after the others when he heard someone say "Hey, where the hell do you think you're going?!" He turned back to see Makarov's grandson on his feet and raising his arm up, summoning a ball of lightning.
"Raging Bolt!" Laxus shouted as he threw the ball at the Machias; it exploded but Centurion still remained untouched. "Not enough for ya? Then try this! Lightning Dragon Demolition Fist!" He created a giant fist of electricity and threw it at his opponent; Centurion took the attack and was blown into the wall, leaving a Centurion shaped dent in it.
Centurion freed himself and cracked himself again. "Is that the best you've got?" He inquired. "If so, then you won't last long."
"Oh, don't worry, I'm not done with you yet you walking piece of scrap metal!" Laxus said as his eyes were glowing with electricity.
Inside the Archbishop's quarters, Gildarts and Laki had managed to sneak in and discover that the leader of Zentopia was being controlled; there, they met Cardinal Lapointe who they realized was the one manipulating the Archbishop to serve the Neo Oracion Seis. Lapointe and Gildarts had revved their magic powers as they planned to fight when they were interrupted by the arrival of Gohan, Coco, and Mary Hughes. "Hey, Gildarts! Laki! What are you guys doing here?" Gohan asked as he stood between the S-Class mage and the Cardinal.
"I could ask you the same thing kid. How'd you get here" Gildarts asked.
"I got captured. What about you?" Gohan asked.
"We've been on a covert mission investigating Zentopia," Laki explained.
"I'm surprised to see that you broke out as well, Coco. And that you're here with another comrade from the Legion." Lapointe admitted.
"Cardinal," Coco hissed.
"What's going on? You like better start explaining!" Hughes demanded.
"And I didn't think we'd meet again so soon Saiyan. Rancor is right; you're just as resilient as your race is rumored to be." The Cardinal said to Gohan.
"What's he mean by that kid?" Gildarts asked.
"I'll explain later. Lucy's been captured be the bad guys and the others are on their way here; I came to ask where she's being held while the girls wanted to speak to the Archbishop." Gohan answered before he glanced at the elderly leader. "What's up with him? He looks so lifeless; I can barely sense his life force."
"That's because he's being controlled. And the puppet master pulling the strings is standing right in front of us." Gildarts explained looking at Lapointe.
In halls, the Fairies were getting closer to the Archbishop's quarters when Warren suddenly stopped and placed to fingers to his head. "I just heard Gildarts voice!" He said to his friends. "Apparently Zentopia's Archbishop, is being controlled by Cardinal Lapointe!"
"He is?" Erza asked.
"You mean that Master Zero look alike?" Gray asked.
"If that's true, then he's the one who used Michelle to trick us, and the one who's butt I need to kick!" Natsu said.
Unknown to the Fairies, Lord Byro and Lady Solaseed were hiding just around the corner behind them when they heard the conversation; neither could hide the shock looks on their faces. "I can't believe it! It all makes sense now! The Archbishop's condition, why Lapointe has been giving out his orders, why no one was allowed to see him, and why everything Zentopia and the Legion Platoon have been doing up to this point has been contradictory to all of our doctrines! It's all been nothing but an enormous lie, a scam! And Lapointe has been responsible; he used his holiness as a mindless slave and used us to do the Neo Oracion Seis' dirty work!" Solaseed growled.
"All this time he's been using his authority to take advantage of everyone, including me and the Legion Platoon!" Byro said as his turned seething with anger. "I will not let him get away with this!"
"If you're controlling the Archbishop, that means Zentopia isn't working with the Neo Oracion Seis!" Gohan said. "You're been deceiving them just like Imitatia tricked us!"
"So, what of it boy?" Lapointe inquired.
"So you'd better tell us where you're keeping Lucy, or else I'm gonna make you pay!" Gohan declared as he powered up.
"Hang on kid," Gildarts told him and he stepped in front of him. "If anyone's gonna fight him it should be me. You just focus on saving Lucy."
"Fine. I need to save my strength for Rancor anyway." Gohan said.
Lapointe chuckled, feeling amused as he poked his glasses "You don't have a prayer." He stated. A magic circle suddenly appeared under Laki before releasing a dark green stream of magic energy that wrapped itself around the wood mage and stopped at her throat with a sharp point held at it.
"Laki!" Gildarts exclaimed.
"Since you two wanna fight so bad, let's see what happens when you exchange blows with each other!" Lapointe said. "Yes, two of the strongest members of Fairy Tail, that should make for an interesting battle, don't you agree?"
"You won't manipulate us again! You're the enemy here!" Gohan said. "So fight us yourself!"
"Defy me and I will kill the young lady," the Cardinal warned them.
"Let her go! She's got nothing to do with this!" Gildarts demanded.
Lapointe smiled as he had the upperhand; he suddenly gasped when he felt as though his magic was being sucked right out of him. The magic restraining Laki immediately vanished, surprising the others. The Cardinal turned around to find an enraged Lord Byro standing behind him with his hands emitting white light while aimed at him. "What?! Byro?!" the Cardinal exclaimed in shock.
"Lord Byro!" Coco and Hughes said.
"He must've nullified Lapointe's magic!" Gohan stated.
"Coco! Mary Hughes! Help me place the Archbishop in bed so I can treat him!" Solaseed as she rushed inside.
"Lady Solaseed!" Coco said in surprise.
"Yes ma'am! C'mon Coco!" Hughes said as she and the athlete quickly helped up their elderly leader and placed him on his resting bed.
"How dare you try to deceive me Lapointe!" Byro said, his voice full of rage and hatred to the Cardinal. In that instant, the Ace of Fairy Tail dashed towards the sinister Cardinal and prepared to sock him. "Crushing Evil, Spreading the Truth: Empyrean!" He shouted as he threw his right fist powered by crash magic at Zero clone; The Cardinal looked surprised for a moment before smirking as he simply held out his hand and caught Gildarts' fist. The force caused a massive shockwave that shock the whole chamber; everyone inside aside from Gohan immediately shielded their faces from the flying debris.
"They're coming! They'll be here soon!" Imitatia said as she sensed the presence of the rescue team inside the Cathedral. "You're beloved friends are on their way to you."
"My friends? From Fairy Tail?" Lucy inquired in surprise. "So they were able to get inside?"
"Yes, but I'm afraid they're all going to die!" Imitatia told her.
"What do you mean? Why are they going to die?" Lucy asked the deceiver.
"Because of you bug sister. They care about you too much, so I'm going to have to kill them!" Imitatia declared.
"Michelle, you can't! Why?" Lucy questioned.
"I refuse to let anyone else have you! Big sister, you belong to me!" Imitatia stated possessively. "I won't let anyone, not even that Saiyan take you way from me!"
"Michelle…" Lucy muttered sadly.
A/N: Alright, now we're getting to the good stuff! Time for Fairy to fight big time, and man are the battles gonna be awesome! You've had a first demonstration about what Ki fused with magic can do for the good guys but will it be enough for the rest to best the Neo Oracion Seis? And what was with Lapointe blocking Gildarts punch? You've probably already guessed by now though. Stay tuned, things are gonna get more exciting from here! Until then, TTFN AntiHero out!