Daryun P.O.V.
Arslan and Daryun sat in the hospital wing early the next morning. Arslan had decided it would be best to get a check up on his legs to make sure they were completely alright before they do anything strenuous, and Daryun had quickly agreed, so that's where they are now. Arslan sitting on the hospital bed next to Lucy's with his pant legs rolled up above his knees for the nurses ease of access. Said nurse was looking over Arslan's legs and tapping it in a few places as well as letting her magic surround his legs to help her decide whether or not he's alright. After a few minutes of checking both legs, the nurse stands up straight and smiles.
"Both of your legs are completely fine." She says. Daryun and Arslan sigh in relief, but the nurse stops them short when she raises her hand to get their attention. "While his legs are alright, and he can walk perfectly fine, it will be a couple of days before he can run and jump. He will also get pain in his legs after walking for a while, running for a while, or jumping a lot. I can not tell you when the pain will lessen, but I can tell you that the more he runs and jumps and walks while in pain, the more pain he will be in. His right leg was also injured more than his left, so he will likely experience more pain in that leg quicker than in the left one. I suggest that every time he stops walking or is about to start walking for a while, to make sure to stretch a lot and relax the muscles. Please, do not go running and jumping around for a while or you could injure yourself again. Also, please expect to have random muscle spasms or be very clumsy on you feet for a while. Again, I do not know if it will go away or how long until it does, but be careful."
"But he can walk?" Daryun asks, carefully noting everything the nurse just said. She nods and smiles.
"Yes, he can walk. Just not to long. And he might stumble and fall a lot, or get muscle spasms, like I said, so please be careful." She aims the last part at Arslan as he unrolls his pant legs and slides off the bed. He smiles at her kindly.
"I will be." He assures. "And even if something happened, I have Daryun to help me." He turns to face his trusty guard and closest friend smiling fondly at him. Daryun gives him a small one back before his face turns back to the stern look it's normally in.
"Alright. If you're sure, then you can leave. Hurry back though, because the battle is starting soon." Arslan nods his head in thanks and goes to leave, but not before patting Lucy's bed a couple times. Daryun watches Arlan fondly, following closely behind him to the colosseum.
General P.O.V.
"And now, the match that everyone has been waiting for!" The announcer's voice rips through the air, demanding everyone's attention. "One guild was considered the strongest in Fiore seven years ago, and the other currently holds the title. This is gonna be a great match. It's Fairy Tail's Natsu and Gajeel versus Sabertooth's Sting and Rogue. You're about to witness a showdown of epic proportions. These aren't just wizards, they're Dragon Slayers." The crowd cheers as the announcer quiets down.
"We just want you to know that our friendship with Arslan does not change anything between our two guilds and the people in them. I've been waiting for this moment my whole life." Sting says, cracking his knuckles.
"I wouldn't expect anything to change just because you became friends with one of our own. You're right. You being friends with Arslan doesn't change a thing. We're still gonna beat your asses!" Natsu exclaims.
"The dream showdown between Dragon Slayers is finally a reality! At last they clash! Who will triumph, the fairies or the tigers?! The four dragons have been released onto the battlefield!" The announcer yells, filling the tense filled silence. Pumpkin Man takes over the announcing, saying, "I've been looking forward to this too! The time limit is 30 minutes! Let the match begin!"
Those words effectively started the usual pre-match tension in the crowd again as the Dragon Slayers got ready to fight.
"Let's do this!" Sting yells to Rogue, earning a 'Yeah!' in return. They start sprinting towards Natsu and Gajeel, freezing mid step as the said duo appears from inside a dust cloud, aiming a punch at each of their opponents faces, catching the two tigers off guard. Natsu aims again and kicks Sting to the ground.
"White Dragon Roar!" Sting yells in return, just barely missing because of Natsu's side step.
"A laser?!" Natsu questions at seeing the bright light barely centimeters from his nose. Sting redirects the attack by turning his body to face towards Gajeel, trying to get him with his already active attack but failing as Gajeel jumps out of the way. Rogue charges up his attack in his fist and jumps at Gajeel, yelling, "Shadow Dragon Slash!" Gajeel turns his arm into a metal blade and blocks Rogue's fist with it before using the arm-blade to push Rogue off to the side.
"Rogue!" Sting yells, turning to face the way he was sent flying. His eyes widen as he sees Natsu pushing Rogue through the air with his chin, straight towards Sting himself. Rogue's head collides with Sting's face, but he stands his ground and hardly slides. Natsu become angry and activates his attack with his hand still on Rogue's chin, pushing them both away and landing with both his arms behind him spitting out curling flames.
"Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" He yells out.
"Th-this is unbelievable! The illustrious Sting and Rogue - the Twin Dragons of Fiore's mightiest guild - are being overwhelmed!" The announcer yells. Sting and Rogue stand up, wincing, and Sting wipes at his chin with the back of his hand.
"You're tough, all right. I wouldn't want it any other way." Sting smirks.
"Did you guys really defeat your dragon with that measly power?" Natsu asks.
"We didn't 'defeat' them. We killed them, with our own hands!"
"Weren't they your parents, though?"
"It's none of your business. But now you get to witness our dragon slaying powers for yourself! White Drive." Sting finishes, white light engulfing his body.
"Shadow Drive." Rogue says, a black light covering his.
"Tension fills the arena as their silent stare-down continues! Who will be the first to move?!" Comes from the announcer. Taking this as his cue, Sting charges at Natsu, fist engulfed in white light as he punches Natsu's face. "Chew on this holy white judgement!" Sting yells, swinging another punch at Natsu. A stream of unrelenting punches hit Natsu over and over again.
"Salamander!" Gajeel yells in concern before he himself is attacked. Rogue jumps at him, twisting around and around to confuse Gajeel.
"It's impossible to catch a shadow." Rogue says before hiding in his shadow magic again and flying across the floor to attack Gajeel. He jumps up just behind Gajeel, and Gajeel turns around and swings his blade arm at Rogue, watching in disbelief as it slides right through and almost non-existent Rogue. Rogue himself swings around to the front of Gajeel and punches his face while he's in the middle of his previous attack. Sting kicks Natsu at the same time, sending the two fairies to the ground near each other. The two collide in mid air and miraculously land on their feet, immediately glaring at each other.
"Get out of my way!" They both yelled at the other. Sting and Rogue laugh tauntingly in the air.
"Arguing in the middle of a match? That's pretty carefree of you!" Sting yells before the two tigers continue to follow the rules of gravity and fall down at the two fairies, aiming kicks at each of them.
"What's the deal? You got all quick on me." Natsu says. Immediately being punched by Sting.
"Give me a break! You seriously call that defense, Natsu?!" Sting yells, quickly following it with a kick to natsu's head. He leaps over Natsu and pushes his back sending him sprawling to the ground as Rogue sends a hit at Gajeel. Gajeel just barely dodges the hit, and it instead cuts his headband in half. Sting and Rogue maneuver themselves to send constant attacks to their chosen opponents, raining down unrelenting hits and kicks to the two fairies. The two tigers kick the two fairies at each other and then away from themselves. More and more attacks are sent, and all the two fairies can do is block.
"I always looked up to you! And I made surpassing you my goal! And now that time has come!" Sting yells, sending another punch at Natsu that sends him flying. When Natsu lands, he finds himself unable to move and with a glowing circle on his stomach.
"I can't… move my body…" He says.
"My white dragon talons deliver a holy attack. Anyone inflicted with their stigmata become paralyzed. And this is how I will overcome you!" Sting yells, his fist lighting up. Meanwhile, Rogue sends constant attacks towards Gajeel, jumping out of the way and reforming in a different area everytime Gajeel himself tries to attack.
"A shadow dragon always dispatches its prey-" Rogue starts as Gajeel swings a fist at him only, to miss as Rogue dodges. "-without ever showing itself!" He finishes, sending a hit towards Gajeel. Just before it hits him, Gajeel grabs Rogue's wrist tightly.
"You were saying?" He asks. At this time, Sting starts running at Natsu with his 'holy' fist, ready to hit him. Natsu smirks, surprising Sting, and lights his own fist up, punching Sting straight in the mouth.
"How are you able to move?!" Sting yells as he stumbles backwards. Natsu turns towards him, stomach burning red and Sting gasps. "The stigmata has been burned off!"
"You're pretty good. But not good enough." Natsu says, cracking his knuckles. Sting winces at his words.
"Don't get cocky, you brats. Don't underestimate Fairy Tail!" Gajeel yells, bringingRogue closer to himself and punching him. Natsu swings a flame covered fist at Sting, sending him flying towards the arena wall. As if a switch has been flipped, the attacks switch from constantly being form Sabertooth to constantly being from Fairy Tail.
"You guys are awesome alright. Looks like we'll have to give it everything we got, too. My white dragon fists can even reduce fire into ashes." He focuses his magic into one spot in front of him, making the entire arena disappear into the bright light. "Here I come, Natsu! Dragon Slayer Secret Art! Holy Nova!" He yells, bringing all of his magic onto himself. He charges at Natsu, bringing his fist out, and attack, his power sending debris flying all over the arena and smoke to cover the area. Sting smiles satisfied at the attack before the dust clears, showing Natsu still standing their, but with his hand holding Stings fist.
"He's stopped that fierce attack with just one hand!" The announcer yells. Rogue jumps at Gajeel again trying to get an attack in his moment of distractedness, only to be punched again by Gajeel. The fairies start again with their attacks, not letting the tigers get up to fight back,although they stop as Sting and Rogue collapse. Rogue lifts his battered body slowly up off the ground. "We're not finished yet." He manages to say.
"That's right. I knew overcoming this wall wouldn't be easy. I won't lose." Sting says, getting up. Magic pulses out of him as he starts up his next attack, white scaly looking things appearing on his skin. Rogue does the same, and black scaly things also appear on his face. "I can't lose. For Lector's sake."
"What is this magic power?" Gajeel asks.
"Stay out of this Rogue. I can handle them on my own." Sting says, approaching the two fairies and stopping a little ways before them. Sting charges at Natsu, punching him hard enough to send him in the air and flying backwards. He then sends a bolt at Gajeel, dodging the kick sent his way. Natsu stops himself on a wall and uses his fire to fly back, and Gajeel catches himself on the ground before jumping back. The two of them send constant attacks at Sting, who manages to catch all of them and even deal back some of his own. He sends to two into each other and onto the ground as he jumps into the air.
"White Dragon Holy Breath!" He yells, sending a stream of white light at the two fairies. The attack shook the stadium and creates a giant hole in the center of it, making Natsu and Gajeel fall into it. Sting flies in after them.
"I'm just getting started!" Sting yells after them. Natsu lands on a piece of rubble and crouches, touching the bottom of it with his hand.
"Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" He yells, surrounding himself with flame and flying right back up at Sting.
"Iron Dragon Roar!" Gajeel yells, appearing from behind Sting. The attack sends him further down into the hole. Sting lands on his feet heavily creating a little crater on the ground.
"The radiance of the white dragon purifies all. Holy Ray!" Sting yelled, aiming his attack upwards at the two fairies. They are sent towards the ground and skid across it. Sting lands in front of Natsu and charges at him again.
"Away you go." Sting says, sending a punch at him. The force from the attack sends Natsu flying backwards. Gajeel appears behind Sting to attack and is also thrown back, away from Sting. The two fairies again parry with Sting, going on and off for attacks, and getting thrown off each time. A final blast from Sting knocks the two fairies down in the rubble. Sting raises his fist in the air victoriously at seeing the two knocked out competitors.
"The times have changed. The past seven years have made into true dragon slayers. The generations' area is over." Rogue speaks as he walks over to the edge of the hole.
"Yeah." Sting replies. Rogue jumps down into the hole and walks over to Sting. "Hey. Sorry for taking down Gajeel too. But I've finally made good on my promise."
"Not so fast." The voice makes Sting and Rogue look over in surprise. Natsu and Gajeel stand there, and the crowd goes wild.
"Your better than I expected." Gajeel speaks, rubbing at the back of his head.
"But now we've seen all your little quirks." Natsu says.
"What?" Sting mutters, shock still filling his and Rogue's faces.
"The timing of your attacks, your stances when you defend, and even the rhythm of your breathing."
"What?!" Sting says once more, dread filling his features. "Impossible! I've even used my dragon force!"
"Yeah, you're definitely strong. My body aches all over!"
"Keep your composure, Sting. He's bluffing." Rogue cuts in, trying to comfort his friend. Gajeel chuckles.
"Bluffing? Salamander ain't got the brains for somethin' like that!" He says.
"Shut up, you!" Natsu yells, turning his attention to Gajeel for a moment before turning it back. "For example, you pivot your foot to 11 o'clock whenever you attack."
"No, 10 o'clock."
"No, 11 o'clock."
"It's 10:30 a most! Not 11!"
"It is 11 o'clock! Or 23 o'clock if you want!"
"That's the same thing!" Natsu and Gajeel fight as Sting and Rogue stare at them in disbelief. "Quit annoying me!" Natsu yells as he pushes Gajeel back, knocking him off balance and making him fall into a minecraft. The tremble from him falling in the minecart was just enough movement to make the lever keeping the minecart in place to shift, releasing the hold it had and letting it roll down the tracks. Natsu turned around and laughs a short, self satisfied laugh at Gajeel misfortune as the cart he was in traveled down the tracks and away from the fight.
"Wh-what did you do that for?" Sting asks.
"It's time to pay you back for that little insult of yours." Natsu says. He sticks his hand out and lights the tips of his fingers on fire, making the flames form the words 'come on'. "I can handle you myself. Come on, both of you! Are you fired up now?"
"You can handle us yourself?! Don't be stupid!" Sting says.
"I've no business with you. Let me fight Gajeel." Rogue demands.
"You'll have to beat me first, then." Natsu taunts, smirking. The two tigers charge up their dragon force again, getting into a fighting stance.
"The dragon force is the same strength as the dragons'. Nothing in this world can possibly be stronger!" Sting yells, running towards Natsu.
"Maybe yours isn't perfected, then?" Natsu replies, stopping Sting's attack with his fist.
"My power is perfect! I used this same power to kill Weisslogia!"
"You don't say? In that case, I'll use this power," Natsu lights himself on fire, flames spitting out behind him, "To fight for my friends you humiliated." Natsu punches Sting's face, sending him flying back even with his Dragon Force active. Rogue, from behind Natsu, fires his Shadow Dragon Roar, and Natsu fires his Fire Dragon Roar in return. The two Roars collide with each other, but Natsu's cancels out the Shadow Roar and keeps going towards Rogue, hitting him. Both Sting and Rogue take a running start at Natsu and attack, but Natsu blocks them all. The two tigers attack Natsu unrelentingly, punching and kicking to try and get a hit but Natsu redirects them all, getting his own attacks in as well.
When Sting and Rogue were both knocked next to each other, Natsu sends a fireball at them. The two tigers jump through the fire, both aiming punches at Natsu who blocks them both. More time passes by with little breakthrough on the Sabertooth duo's part, and they stand back, fists pulled back and both charge up their power, giant orbs of white and purple-black growing behind them as their power grows. The two orbs spin, creating dust and blowing things around them at a fast speed. Suddenly, the two orbs disappear, the current stopping all at once and the debris that was swept up with the wind falls. The two tigers put their hands close together, small power orbs appearing in them and mixing together, getting bigger and bigger between their hands.
"Mr. Yajima! What is that?!" One announcer asks.
"A Unison Raid. It's what you would call fusion magic. It's generally considered to be such advances magic that you could spend your entire life training and never master it." The other one answers.
"Holy Shadow Dragon Flash Fang!" Sting and Rogue yell, throwing their hands ahead of them, pointing them at Natsu. Natsu stands their, watching the mixed attack speed towards him, not faltering in his stance. Just before it hits him, he pulls his fist backward, lighting it on fire.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art! Flame Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!" A bird made purely of fire appears in front of him as he punches the attack, flame spinning off of him in spirals, countering the attack. Dust clears from the air, revealing all three still standing. Soon enough, though, Rogue starts swaying on his feet and falls down. Sting follows close behind, falling to his knees before falling forwards completely. Natsu is the only one not down, and hardly any injuries can be found on him. He punches both fists into the air, laughing in the eyes of his victory.
"Fairy Tail has bested Sabertooth!" The announcer yells, sending the crowd into loud cheers. Natsu walks over to the two collapsed tigers and smiles down at them.
"Let's fight again sometime!" He says before walking away, up and out of the collapsed hole in the ground. Natsu walks over to his team, smiling. He high fives Happy, grinning from ear to ear.
"You did it, Natsu!" Happy exclaims.
"I gotta hurry and tell Lucy!" Natsu says, excited. Gray walks over to Natsu, hands resting on top of his jacket he miraculously hasn't taken off yet.
"Good going, Natsu!" He says.
"I guess!" He responds.
"I have some genuine praise for you today, Natsu. You're really something." Erza says, putting her hand on his shoulder.
"You think?"
"Don't be embarrassed." Erza hugs Natsu's head to her chest.
"That was a great performance, but what happened to Gajeel?" Pantherlily asks Natsu.
"Oh, yeah, that jerk suddenly ran off at some point!" Natsu exclaims. "Does he even know what 'team battle' means?!"
"Have you seriously forgotten what you did yourself?!"
"That's Natsu for you!" Happy interrupts.
"Natsu!" Arslan yells to him from where he's sitting, waving at him. Natsu waves back happily, and Arslan turns to Daryun, saying something, before Daryun nods and helps Arslan stand up and walk over to Natsu.
"Hey, Arslan!" Natsu says.
"I'm so glad your okay!" Arslan exclaims, bringing Natsu into a hug. "The last attack you did was really amazing! What was it?"
"That was a Dragon Slayer Secret Art move. Every Dragon Slayer has Secret Art attacks they can do that are different from all the others. That was one of mine." Natsu explains.
"Wow." Arslan marvels, staring up at Natsu in amazement. Daryun comes up from behind Arslan and slaps Natsu on the back.
"Congratulations on the win, Natsu. It was an admirable feat to be able to defeat them both by yourself." Daryun says. Natsu grins.
"Thanks. It was nothing though." Daryun shakes his head and lets out a puff of air through his nose.
"Get some rest for tomorrow in preparation for the final day's survival battle." Erza says.
"The final round, huh?" Gray says. "We're gonna finish things once and for all!"
"First we win! Then I'll fight you both!" Natsu yells, pointing at Gray and Erza.
"Very well." Erza says.
"Man, you're really getting ahead of yourself." Gray says. Natsu laughs and turns around.
"Now, I'm going to tell Lucy!" Natsu exclaims. Arslan smiles.
"We'll go with you." He says, motioning between himself and Daryun.
"Us too." Erza speaks. Natsu nods and leads the group to the hospital wing. They open the door and smile at everyone before going up to Lucy's bed.
"Welcome back!" Lucy says.
"You're not gonna ask how it went?" Natsu asks, teasing.
"I told you. I've always believed in you, since I first joined the guild." Natsu smiles softly at her.
"But this ain't the end. It's just getting started."
"Let's fight to win! Right?" Wendy asks.
"Of course. We've come this far and all." Carla responds.
"Yea, we started in last place on the first day." Elfman says.
"The crowd even booed us." Evergreen adds.
"We suffered humiliation and frustration…" Erza starts.
"But now victory is one step away!" Gray finishes.
"It's just like you said, Natsu! 'We're gonna make a comeback from our 0 point start! Let's save our tears for when we win!'" Lucy exclaims.
"Yeah! 'Let's climb the ranks! We don't know the meaning of 'give up'!'" Natsu yells.
"Let's win the 30 million Jewel!" Master Makarov cuts in, jumpin on the bed.
"That's not what this is about!" Everyone choruses.
"Let's win the title of Fiore's greatest!" Natsu yells.
"Yea!" The guild cheers.