Chapter 102: How a Phoenix Flies

{Flashback}

"It means I'll die a thousand times to secure one victory!" Chiara shouted, standing in the midst of her guild. They began to laugh, some of them. Others arched a brow in confusion to what she meant, waiting for an interpretation. One of those people was the Ace of the guild, Tristan Gareth. "Um...could you explain, Chiara?" He asked. The young girl then turned to him with a nod. "You asked me what does being a Phoenix mean to me, so my answer is, being a Phoenix means that I'm willing to sacrifice myself as many times as I have to, in order to accomplish the task at hand. Protecting my friends, or accomplishing an important goal, I'll do what it takes, because as a Phoenix, death means nothing to a being that can simply rise from death!"

"Hey, not bad kid." A member with blond hair said, laughing as well. "I can't tell if you're literally speaking, or using a metaphor, but I like the punk regardless!" Chiara bowed. "Thank you, Izaki!" Chiara shouted to that member, bowing again and again. "You can tell she's nervous. She's trying to shout over her shaky voice."

"Alexander?" Tristan asked him, turning to the young male in question.

"A Phoenix is a mythical bird, enormous in size and although capable of dying, it's incapable of remaining deceased, according to legends."

Everyone just blinked, unable to call him out for giving an exact definition, but it wasn't exactly what they were looking for it seemed. "...Alright, well...that's true."

Tristan then turned to Asuka. "Alright Asuka, what about you? What does it mean to you, to be a Phoenix?"

Asuka hopped up from her seat, standing tall with her own thumb pressed to her sternum. "Being a Phoenix means that no matter what happens, we always rise to the occasion like a Phoenix does! There's no need to run from a fight when you have the wings of a Phoenix on your back!"

"These interpretations are getting ridiculous." Diamond said, planting a hand to her own head, shaking her head in disappointment. "Now now, Diamond. That's exactly what this is. It's a personal interpretation. So, what about you, Ethan?"

He blinked a few times, pondering the question deeply. "Well, I'm kinda with Asuka and Chiara on this one, Tristan. Phoenixes rise. Whether it's to the occasion, or from a defeat, a Phoenix never stays down. Right?"

Tristan smiled, giving off a light laugh as well. "Well it's understandable why you guys stick together, with your same beliefs and all. Now, if that's how you feel, then I want you to carry those beliefs with you everywhere you go, alright? It's fate how all three of you came to this guild at the same time with each other, without even knowing each other before your encounters. I want you to take that, and your beliefs, and run with it, okay? No matter how important the moment, make it feel like your last, and then let the Phoenix you represent become the wings in your decision, okay?"

{End}

"Make the Phoenix you represent become the wings in your decision." Ethan took in a deep breath, opening his eyes as the bell rung for the match between himself and Elfman to begin. Simultaneously, the two competitors showcased their magic. Both heralded Takeover magic, and as Elfman elected to transform to a familiar form of his, Beast Soul: Weretiger, Ethan's debut was just that for the audience — a debut.

As the shining light that covered his frame vanished, the Phoenix stood before an inquisitive Elfman in his newest form. Asuka let a low whistle. "So he's starting off with that one? I guess it's to feel his opponent out, huh?"

A white helmet covered his entire head, along with small yellow horns at the top and a red underlining around the eye sockets. From those sockets, green illumination appeared that acted as his sights. White shoulder pads appeared upon his body, then a red and white chest plate, and the color schemes continued down all the way past his arms and down to his feet. On his back were two wings protruding from his shoulder blades with three nozzles trailing down each one.

"Machina Takeover: Neo Shining Blitz!"

"That's a mouthful." Lyon stated. Jenny was in an infatuated daze. "That's my magic! Go Machina Soul Takeover! Show them we're the best!"

"Jenny. Why don't you give us the lowdown on Machina Soul since you're an expert on it!?" Chapati inquired, and of course Miss Fiore indulged. "Certainly! The most common of Takeover Magic is obviously Beast Takeover, because beasts and animals are the most common depiction. You can find them anywhere, and they're the easiest to transform into. That also makes them the weakest naturally!"

"What was that!?" Elfman shouted, overhearing Jenny's words.

"The more rare the subject, the harder the takeover is to use, but usually the more powerful it can be. But there's one exception tk this rule, and it's Machina Soul takeover! Machinery, and the Soul it implements is endless! There are countless of transformations when it comes to Machina Soul, because it's a simplicity of if you can build it in your mind, you can become it! The Machina race itself follows the same guild lines, because they are built, not born, so the fluidity in the build knows no bounds. You take that and add Takeover Magic to it and tada! You have, the strongest type of Takeover there is!"

"I beg to differ." Firenze, the giant of Empyrean Dawn murmured, causing his comrades to grin alongside him.

"Enough talking!" Elfman shouted, crouching into a readied stance. Ethan did the same in retaliation. "Lets get this show on the road! Man!"

"It's an honor again! But now I'm ready to win!" Ethan shouted back, and suddenly, the two were gone from untrained eyes. A clash that resembled thunder was heard in the arena, and both Elfman and Ethan reappeared to those untrained eyes, forearm to forearm. The battle of speed and quickness with these two takeovers commenced, the two flying around the arena just to collide over and over again in order to find an opening against one another. That first opening came to the veteran of the two as Elfman slid in, only to slide off to the left the second Ethan swung his left fist, leaving him wide open for the Weretiger to score a lunging right knee for his chest. It connected, causing chips of his Machina Soul to flake off from the powerful strike — Ethan stumbling backwards with no time allotted to recover. Elfman was before him again, rearing back a clenched right fist. "Speed is just an attribute! Where's your battle sense!? Be a MAN!"

As he swung, Ethan was able to cover up with his arms, but Elfman would counter this defense by punching three more times to keep him on his heels just to knock him off those heels with a jumping roundhouse kick aimed for his head. The large foot of the Weretiger scored a clean hit, putting him in a dizzying state. Ethan stumbler again, and Elfman immediately appeared to the right of the teetering Phoenix, open palm with claws braced by his side.

"Ughhhh WAKE UP ETHAN!" Asuka and Chiara both shouted together, and immediately he did what he was told, leaping high into the air to escape Elfman's strike just in time. Taking the time to gather himself, Ethan proclaimed himself safe in the air, until he recognized Elfman crouching low tide the ground.

"This might be over." Reve stated. The others looked his way. "Elfman, right?" Cygnus asked. "Possibly, if his bravado doesn't get in the way. But looking at the wings on Ethan's back. I don't think they were meant for speed..."

"But for flight." Skye finished. "I noticed too. That kid has a lot of potential, but no advanced skill set. When he transformed, he did it the same time as Elfman, so unless he predicted the fairy's first choice, he had no idea Elfman was going to go Weretiger."

"So what are you getting at?" Waiston asked, almost uninterested.

Reve then watched as Elfman took off like a rocket, launching himself into the air in an attempt to reach Ethan. "My point is...he may have gotten stronger... a lot stronger, but Elfman hasn't changed a bit. It's always with that manly attitude, and that just might cost him here."

And on cue, it happened. As Elfman reached Ethan's height, the Weretiger attempted to grab him, only for Ethan to avoid it by zipping right past him. In the blink of an eye, the Machina takeover tackled Elfman, grabbing a hold of him tightly as the six nozzles on the back of his wings turned on, giving him an even greater boost to his already amazing speed. "Huh!?" Before Elfman could even attempt to struggle his way out, he crashed into the ground — Ethan launching him into the arena floor merely inches away from hitting the ground himself. Swooping just out of the way of his own demise, the Phoenix made a soft crash landing, tumbling once before sliding to a halt on a single knee.

"Elf-Niichan/San!?" Both Mirajane and Lisanna called our, gasping at the crazy collision he just took. A moment of silence remained as Ethan panted, taking in a deep breath before standing again to walk away. "I...I don't want to sound cocky but...I was expecting more of a challenge. I was even expecting to lose." His mumbling was heard by no one, yet felt by the entire stadium as murmurs filled the arena.

"That was actually faster than expected." Cygnus noted. "And from a nobody too? How embarrassing for Fairy Tail."

"It's embarrassing, but not because he lost." Reve stated, garnering everyone's attention. "A year ago, around the time we disbanded to take care of things on our own, someone told me something very important. It was a declaration surely heard around the world."

"You mean that letter you wrote to all of us back then?" Selene asked.

Reve nodded. "I didn't mention it, but it was verbatim to what this random mage told me, and it made plenty of sense."

{Listen up! The era of the fundamental mage is over! After what happened in Fiore, everyone around this continent and the next are upping their strengths! In the next era, we'll no longer simply be known as mages, but warriors with magic! Just casting the stronger spell no longer secures victory, but you knew that with your fights against Fairy Tail! That's why you can't count them out! But now, Fairy Tail's and your own philosophies will become the norm! So will you end up falling in line, or will you break the mold again, and find another way to stand out! Mark these words, because in due time, you'll either witness them coming true, or you'll be at the threshold of these garden of words blossoming into truth! Either way, it won't be halted!}

"I knew it sounded too dramatic to be you." Jack added in his sense of humor. "If it was your words, we would have gotten something a lot more condescending."

Reve then continued on. "I'm actually glad those words reached you the way they did me. And after watching that display by that kid, it's seeming to be true. Guilds here are replacing the rivals we knew simply because of the shift in eras. Stronger mages are coming out of the woodwork, and not by relocation, but because they've taken their training a lot more seriously. They've been here the entire time. It's almost like a timeline switched places with what's really suppose to happen. And if someone around the same age as our rookies is backing a high level guild into a corner, then I'm so glad everyone here got the memo when I sent that letter. As for Fairy Tail... Elfman's display is ominous. It leaves a lot of questions. But the main question is...did they get left behind?"

As Ethan walked off, dropping his takeover, Chapati and Mato the pumpkin headed host were just about to call the match when a familiar, large, red hand climbed out of the hole his body created. Once that hand slammed against the surface of the arena, pulling himself up, the arena rumbled as he called out to Ethan in deepened voice, sending a chill down the Phoenix's back.

"Beast Soul!" Lisanna shouted, smiling again as Elfman rose from the self made pit.

"And just where do you think you're going?" He asked, showing himself in his patented takeover. "It's not manly to assume a fight is over by your own judgement, when you don't know what your opponent is truly capable of."

Ethan slowly turned around to see the behemoth of a man tower over him. His massive size caused Ethan to take a step back, his body illuminating once more. "That's really impressive! I threw you into the ground with some crazy velocity, but you're standing just fine!" As he spoke, Ethan entered another transformation. A larger, bulkier takeover, this time with no wings yet two large nozzles erected from his shoulder blades. One more from each side also appeared behind his elbows and wrists. He now matched the size of Elfman's own takeover, holding his ground as his opponent marched towards him.

"Takeover: Goliath Star!"

"They're gonna slug it out!" Asuka shouted, throwing her hands into the air as the crowd joined her in cheers of anticipation. Soon, Ethan would walk towards Elfman just as the fairy did the Phoenix and once they met in the middle of the arena... punches were thrown.

A manly test of strength. Every time Elfman scored a punch, Ethan's body would flake apart like paper, as if his armored takeover meant nothing. But, every time Ethan scored a heavy blow of his own, a bruising stamp was left, showcasing his own power against his opponent's flesh. The back and forth continued with no defenses, leaving the crowd in jaw dropping awe-inspired array. "One thing he is good at, is suckering people into these manly fights." Bacchus admitted, watching with an enticed grin. "At least this time he's fighting back. Now that's WILD!"

"Four!"

"Lets go! Ethan!"

"Elfman!"

Their respective sides all cheered them on as the two heavyweight takeovers continued onward, throwing haymaker after haymaker of unmarked punches until finally... the two of them simultaneously slammed a powerful fist into each other's opposing jawline. Elfman teetered back, on the brink of falling over, but he managed to catch himself, panting heavily as Ethan fell backwards, landing on his back unmoving.

"And your winner of this slugfest...Elfman of Fairy Tail!" Mato's announcement was clear, and Elfman raised his fists high into the air, shouting "MAAAAAAN" as his guild mates cheered him on for his victory.

"Oh no!" Asuka and Chiara shouted together in comical disbelief. "He had it! Just one more punch!"

"Up next is Twilight Zone's Rylo Yutaka vs. Mermaid Heel's Milianna! Followed by White Eclipse's Waiston Tunundra vs. Quatro Cerberus's Nobarly!"

"Now this is something I've been waiting on." Reve admitted, side eyeing the rest of the Twilight Zone guild. "They've made some real noise from the beginning, so I want to see if the speed was just to fake us out with a bluff, or if their entire team is actually stacked like they pretend it is."

"They're stacked alright." Takeru added, catching even Reve off guard. "You know something I don't?"

"I think that was an insult." Tak admitted to the gunslinger, but he ignored it and moved on. "This match was over before it started. Rylo is their S-class Mage. His magic is definitely unique, and he can fight too. That cat girl doesn't stand much of a chance. I ran into Twilight Zone a while ago, and of course I challenged their strongest member. Finally they accepted."

"And how did that go? You probably overdid it." Reve assumed.

"I lost, badly." Tak admitted, staring directly Evanee's way. "She's a menace. She's their ace, and the rest of them are almost just as scary power wise. But Evanee sits on a plateau that I believe only Sidney has reached so far."

That one caught Reve's pride, causing him to "tch" as he kept his eyes on a bowing Rylo Yutaka. "All I'm saying is Reve... is that Twilight Zone will most likely finish in the top five, maybe even top three. They have the ability. Also, if you have noticed. They have one of our former members."

"It seems White Eclipse is starting to recognize your presence, Evanee." Kaden said, calling to her attention. She didn't budge, keeping arms folded under her chest as she watched Rylo and Milanna's battle begin. "It's too late for that. We're already here. But sooner or later they'll receive a better, first hand introduction from me."

As the horn sounded, Rylo spoke to an incoming Milanna whose claws were extended just like a felines. "As you've heard, my name is Rylo Yutaka." He told her, swiftly dodging from left to right as she swiped for his body. When she swung again, Rylo ducked, using his momentum to swing out his left leg, performing a leg sweep that would take the cat like mage off her feet instantly. Milanna was able to quickly recover, using the momentum of the leg sweep to flip through it, catching herself by planting her hands to the ground before pushing off and leaping over her opponent. "I'm the S-class of Twilight Zone. It's very nice to meet you!"

"I've already heard your introduction!" Milanna shouted, leaping back to hold out her right hand. "Now get ready to lose! Nekosoku Tube!" From her hand spiraled out a binding tube that she was well known for, rushing towards Rylo at a fast pace.

"Ah, that's true. But my magic still eludes a lot of people." The S-class tipped his top hat, bowing slightly before raising up to flash a single green eye. Then, Rylo would hold out his own right hand, pulling down his sleeve. From this action, the tube Millianna created was absorbed right into the sleeve, disappearing form sight. "Nothing up my sleeve." He boasted, causing Milianna to look on in surprise as the audience gasped and chattered in amazement. "Now that I have your attention. I'd like to introduce you to Sleight of Hand Magic!"

"Sleight of Hand?" Selene questioned. That's when Takeru answered. "To put it bluntly...he's a magician."

"You mean like those lame tricks at parties for kids?" Cygnus asked, pointing Rylo's way. Takeru nodded. "Just like that, except he's an actual mage, and pretty deadly with his magic."

Keeping a grin on his facial features, Rylo slowly waved his hand before him, and as that hand passed his head, he disappeared. All of him vanished as his hands passed that part of him, eventually leaving Milianna's sight completely.

"What!?" She looked around frantically. "Don't panic!" Kagura yelled her way, catching her attention. "He can't leave the arena, so he's obviously somewhere around you! It's just a little parlor trick, so focus and find him!"

"R-right!" She nodded, agreeing with her superior before taking in a deep breath. "...There!" Her sharp eyes turned to behind her, sinking her claws directly into a top hat. Just beneath that, Rylo Yutaka remained crouched, smirking again. "Close, but you lack concentration. Check my sleeve again."

Before Milanna could move, Rylo once more opened his sleeve and from it, the same binding tube she shot forth earlier came rushing out, binding itself around the Mermaid Heel member. As he grabbed his top hat, Rylo brushed it off before placing it on his head once more, striking a confident pose as

Chapati announced. "Your winner is..Rylo Yutaka of Twilight Zone!"

"Ah, man!" Her guild shouted in disappointment. Rylo walked off, giving the crowd one more bow before returning to his guild.

"And finally! Our final match of the day! It's White Eclipse's Waiston Tunundra, versus The Council's very own Correll!"

"Oh yeah! Put it to him, Waiston! Waiston! Waiston!" Jaxon started a chant not only for his best friend, but to grab the audience on their side in spite of Correll. But, as the blonde haired, yellow eyed playboy councilman walked out, cheers skyrocketed for his appearance. Women swooned, men cried out in envy yet appreciation. Correll waved as he took center stage, turning his attention to a certain female with a wink and a smile, causing her to look away, feigning disgust albeit the noticeable blush on her face. "Anything you want to talk about?" Evanee asked her. Kairi then turned back, sinking into her seat as she tried to remain poised before her Ace. "Not at all. Sorry about that."

"Don't worry." Evanee replied. "All men are disgusting. So we're bound to fall for at least one pig here or there when the bar is so low."

Waiston followed suit, walking to his own cheers from the crowd. Once he arrived, he stood before Correll as a voice echoed over everyone else's.

"Nii-san!" Asuka shouted, waving frantically. This caused Correll to gain an embarrassed visage, happily waving back towards her.

"Nii...WHAT?" It struck surprise in a lot of people, knowing that Correll had a sibling — one that was competing in the games as well. Waiston didn't care about that at this moment. Instead, the Frozen Dragon slowly raised his hands from his pockets, creating a gust of wind that became visible thanks to the drop in temperature.

"Right off the bat, huh?" Skye asked, smiling. "Completely necessary." Reve added as Waiston entered his dual mode —

The Frozen Sky Dragon Slayer who made his debut here in Crocus returning once again.

Correll remained unfazed, loosening his wrists as he remained calm within the frozen tundra Waiston was creating. "So, we're the main event, huh? Make sure to give a good showing before losing, Slayer." The cocky council captain hadn't changed a bit over the year. Waiston merely grinned, amused at his words despite the harsh conditions he was creating with his aura alone.

"Aye. That sounds good to me. Lets put on a show then, okay? Frozen Sky Dragon's..."

The bell then rung.

"...Flash Frozen Fist!"