Chapter 14
Angel
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Magic"
Flashback
Location / Date / Time Skip
With Ren and Eve
"Any idea what that is?" Eve asked pointing to the spiral.
"No clue." Ren answered before noticing a black mist escape a tree. "What the? Some black stuff is flowing out of the tree. It's almost like it's being sucked out of it."
"What could do that?" Eve mumbled before Ren gasped.
"You don't think that's where Nirvana is hidden, do you?" The black skinned wizard asked.
"Wait, if that's true, then someone's already gotten to it!" Eve shouted in a panic.
"If it was, then Gray didn't unleash it." Both looked over as Lyon and Sherry walked out of the woods. "He was with us when we took down Racer."
"You beat one of the Seis?" Eve asked, making the two nod. "That's good, now we only have to worry about five of them."
"But that doesn't answer the question, 'who unleashed it?'." Ren said.
"On the plus side, we don't need to keep searching for Wendy." Sherry said. "Erik found her, and he's heading back to the others now."
With Erza's group.
"We have to go after him." Hibiki said.
"Why would he mention Jellal out of no where?" Lucy mumbled.
"I can explain later!" Happy shouted. "Right now, we have to-" A scream from Carla cut him off.
Everyone looked over and found Carla staring at the ground. "Erza's just disappeared!" Wendy stared at the grass in a panic. "What's with that woman!? Not even a word of thanks to Wendy for saving her!"
"Wait, do you think she heard us talking about Jellal, do you?" Happy asked.
"It's all my fault..." Wendy whispered between her tears. "It's all because I healed Jellal... they found Nirvana, Erza disappeared, and Erik is..." Hibiki held out his hand and a screen blasted Wendy, knocking her unconscious.
"What is the matter with you!?" Carla shouted.
With Lisanna and Jura
Lisanna looked over her shoulder as she carried Jura through the woods. "Did you hear something?"
"What was it?" The Saint asked.
"It was like a, piri piri." She explained.
"That doesn't sound like a real word." Jura said. "Maybe it was a bird."
Lisanna turned back and continued to carry him. "Yeah, I guess it was."
With Erik
Erik ran through the woods as fast as he could. 'I have to find Jellal and Salamander.' He looked up as a pit crew like guild started screaming about Racer. "Out of my way!" Erik used a Wing Attack and defeated them all at once. "I'm not letting either of them near Erza again."
With Hibiki's Group
Hibiki carried Wendy on his back as the group ran through the forest. "Look, I didn't mean to startle you, but she'll be fine. I just knocked her out."
"That still,doesn't explain why!" Lucy shouted. "And why are we running all of a sudden?"
"We have to reach Erik and Erza!" Hibiki explained. "Just keep going until you reach the light!"
"Give is one reason why we should believe you?" Carla asked as she and Happy flew next to them. "I understand that Wendy can be a handful, but that's no reason to hit her!"
"That's not cool!" Happy added.
Hibiki ran further before coming to a stop. "I had to do it." The other reached him and stopped as well. "The truth is... I know more about Nirvana than I let on."
"What?" Lucy asked.
"But because of Nirvana's nature, I couldn't tell anyone." He explained. "Even just by telling you about what it can do, I'm putting you alll at risk. That's what the master only told me. The others have no idea."
"So what did he tell you?" Lucy asked.
"Nirvana is extremely dangerous magic." Hibiki explained. "It can turn light into darkness in an instant."
"Wait, what does that mean?" Happy asked.
"I have to agree with the tomcat." Carla added.
"So, it switches them?" Lucy asked.
"Yes, but that doesn't happen until the final stage." Hibiki said, looking up at the light show. "Once it's been unsealed, it shots off a black beam of light, like what we're seeing. After that, it goes and search for those caught in between the two and switch anyone wavering to the opposite alignment. In other words, take a good guy who's down in the dumps, and they'll turn to evil."
The group stared at him until he started running again and they gave chance. "So, you knocked Wendy out to protect her?" Carla asked.
"She was at risk." He explained. "Powerful emotions like guilt are a likely target for Nirvana. If I hadn't done something soon, she would have switched over to the other side."
"Wait, what about Erik?" Lucy asked. "Isn't anger negative an emotion?"
"Honestly, I don't know..." Hibiki answered. "His anger is for some else's sake, so it may not be truly negative."
"I don't understand what your saying!" Happy shouted.
"That's because you're an idiot." Carla said. "Let use small words for you. Now that the seal has been broken, Nirvana has the power to turn those good evil, and those evil good. Do you understand now?"
"I kept quiet for as long as I could, because if I told you, you'd end up at risk." Hibiki explained. "Once you start thinking in terms of good and evil, you'll bring negative feelings to the surface. Before you know it, you're lost in them. 'If that person didn't exist... whose fault is all this pain... Why does this happen to me?' These feeling are judged by Nirvana, and allow it to change who you are."
With Lyons Group
"Ice-Make: Eagle!" Lyon crafted a dozen birds that Midnight shattered just by waving his arm.
"Wood Doll!" Sherry's doll slammed its fist down only for it to be ripped off by Midnight's glance.
"How pathetic..." The two toned hair man said before waving his arm, sending the two, and Eve, crashing into a tree with the sick crack of broken bones. "Is this the limit of your power?"
"Ren! Run!" Eve shouted as he looked up at the black haired wizard. Begrudgingly, he listened to his friend and turned around, only to be slammed into the ground.
"No one leaves here." Midnight walked forward and stomped on Ren's hand, breaking a few fingers. "I love to hear the screams of my prey."
With Hibiki's Group
"So, when Nirvana is fully activated, all of us could just turn evil?" Lucy asked.
"Wait, if it can turn good guys bad, does that mean it can turn dark wizards good?" Happy asked.
"Its possible, but I don't have an answer at the moment." Hibiki answered. "But what makes Nirvana really terrifying is that it can be control to do whatever the caster wants."
"What?" Lucy asked in shock.
"I'll explain." He said. "Let's say that a wizard wants to wipe out a specific guild. They could have the members slaughter each other, make them go to war with a stronger guild, and they barely have to lift a finger. We have to stop it as soon as possible, or else all the light guilds are doomed."
With Erik
"Come on out, Jellal!" Erik shouted. "I'll do what ever it take to make sure you don't hurt Erza again!" His eye caught a glimmer of white and stopped running. Lisanna was floating down a river unconscious. "Lisanna!" He slid down the cliff and jumped into the river after her. "What happened? I though you were with Lamia Scale?"
A dark smirk appeared on her face as she pulled a string and Erik found himself standing on a raft. "Wait, what the..." His motion sickness kicked in and he dropped to his knees. "Lisanna..." Erik groaned as he looked up as the girl. "Why?"
"Because if I can't have you, no one can." Her hand glowed and was replaced by her tigers claws. "I refuse to lose you to some blonde bimbo like Lucy." She raised her hand and the claws unsheathed. "We'll be together forever, Erik."
Just as she started to swing, an arrow pierced the raft in front of her. "Lisanna, what is wrong with you!?" Lucy asked as the group, plus Sagitarius, stood on the riverbank.
"Lucy..." Erik mumbled.
"Could you maybe not say my name before puking!?" Lucy asked as the raft bumped into a stone, stopping it.
"Stay out of this, bitch." Lisanna growled. "Once I'm done with him, I'll be sure to claw you eyes out too."
Everyone stared at Lisanna's words in shock. "Is this Nirvana?" Lucy asked herself.
"Get me off this thing..." Erik groaned.
"The things not even moving so man up!" Lucy shouted.
"I'm coming Erik!" Happy took to the air and flew towards him, before Lisanna's arm turned into a wing and she swatted Happy into a tree, knocking him out.
"How could you!" Carla shouted from the side.
"That's your 'son'!" Lucy added.
"Information on Happy: Has the ability to fly, but he can only carry one person at a time. Not physically strong. Was hatched from an egg by Lisanna and Erik." Lisanna mumbled almost robotically. "That's all the information Lisanna has."
"Lisanna, what are you talking about?" Lucy asked back.
Hibiki put Wendy down and looked over at the girl. "My guess is that she's the first victim of Nirvana. She's switched to the dark side."
"Information on Lucy: new comer to Fairy Tail. Progressing into a skilled fighter, but still cannot defeat any major opponents on her own." Lisanna said, confusing Lucy. "Oh, she's a Celestial Spirit mage. Oh, really, she has his key?"
"Lisanna, please stop this!" Lucy shouted as Hibiki stood up.
"That's not Lisanna." He told her. "I know you're an imposter, so just drop the shtick."
"What are you talking about?" Lucy asked.
"Accessing information on Hibiki." Lisanna said. "Member of the Blue Pegasus guild. Ladies man... Clearly hiding a broken heart."
"Can't you just incapacite her so we can move on to Nirvana?" Carla asked as she stood next to Wendy.
"I get it..." Lucy mumbled. "Nirvana only affects those wavering between good and evil. So there's no way Lisanna could fall to the darkness, because she's like the sweetest person on the planet. Who are you!?" Lisanna chuckled before breaking out into a full blown laugh. Her eyes had turned black before a puff of smoke appeared. As it faded, Lucy stood on the raft. "It's me!?"
"Are you just stupid?" Hibiki asked. "Do you really think your pet fooling us? The real Lucy's right here, so why not just show us your true form already."
"You really wanna see my true form?" 'Lucy' asked. "I think you'll find I'm every bit as real as that bimbo." The imposter lifted her shirt and flashed the three, mortifying Lucy, but impressing Hibiki and the spirit.
"So... wobbly..." Erik groaned, unaware of the context. Hibiki nodded and Lucy punched him in the face.
"Sad part is, it's only gonna get worse from here on out." The imposter said as she lowered her shirt. "Now I know all the keys you're carrying. This should be fun. Sagittarius, fire away."
Hibiki turned around and blocked most of the shots the confused archer fired at him, but was still knocked out. "What is wrong with you?" Lucy shouted before running over to the playboy.
"I thought you only took orders from Lucy?" Carla asked.
"I... do..." The spirit said back. "But my body... just moved... on it's own.."
"Hang in there! You'll be all right!" Lucy shouted as Hibiki layed on the ground and she turned to the doppelgänger. "How are you controlling Sagittarius?"
"I'm a perfect copy of you, meaning your spirits are putty in my hands." The duplicate said. Sagittarius pulled back an arrow before unleashing a storm of them at the two, forcing Hibiki to put up his monitor shield.
"Carla, take Wendy and get her out of here!" Lucy shouted and the cat obeyed. "I'm gonna close your gate, so you can't do anymore harm." Lucy pulled out Sagittarius' key. "Don't worry. I know it's not your fault."
"I'm sorry for the inconvenience, lady Lucy." The archer saluted before disappearing in a glimmer.
"Finally." The imposter pulled out her own key. "Open, Gate of the Archer - Sagittarius." The Spirit reappeared, just as confused as the real Lucy. "Calm down, and just shoot the cat in the sky."
"I cannot!" The spirit said back.
"What?" Are you disobeying an order from your master?" 'Lucy' asked, her voice shifting to a higher pitch.
"Don't you dare compare yourself to Lucy." Sagittarius said, fighting his own body as it drew an arrow and pointed it at Carla. "Send me back, Lucy."
Lucy nodded and tried to close his gate, but nothing happened. "Moron, I'm the one who summoned him, so that means I'm the only one who can close his gate." The copy teased the original. "Just shoot it already."
"That's enough..." Angel walked out of the woods. "Nirvana has been found, so we don't need the brat anymore. No need to keep wasting energy, my pets."
"Okay!" 'Lucy' turned into smoke and Sagittarius faded back to the spirit world. The smoke disappeared and Gemi and Mini floated over to Angel.
"Well, hello, Lucy. Tell me, what's it like to gaze at an angel?" The dark wizard asked.
"It makes me want to be blind!" Lucy shouted back.
"I think that can be arranged." Angel chuckled. "Have my pets been entertaining you? It's a pretty impressive trick, wouldn't you say? Oh, where are my manners, this Gemi and Mini. I think you know of them, the Gemini twins. Celestial spirits make such wonderful toys."
"You're a Celestial wizard?" Lucy asked. "That's disgusting." 'I know I'm not gonna fall to the darkness. And I can't see her going to the light. So I don't have to worry about Nirvana. But still, Hibiki and Erik are down. So it's all up to me. Lucky for me, we're next to river. And that means that Aquarius can't be far behind.'
"Those keys of yours would be a wonderful addition to my collection." Angel said, snapping Lucy out of her thoughts. "Give them over now, and I promise not to call in my partner. He can be very unpleasant when I'm unhappy."
"Not gonna happen!" Lucy pulled out the mermaids key and slammed it into the water. "Open, Gate of the Water Bearer - "
"Be gone." Angel waved her hands and the two spirits left.
"Aquarius!" Lucy finished the summoning and mermaid appeared. "Wipe her out! I don't care if you take me with her!"
"That's what I was planing on." The bluenette said as water pooled into her urn. "Every single one of you will drown."
"Open, Gate of the Scorpion -" Angel started as a golden light left her key, making Aquarius stop her attack. "Scorpio!" The spirit appeared and he looked... weird, to say the least. Like a cross between a cyborg snake, wanna-be rocker and monk weird.
Instantly, Aquarius started acting like a love struck high school girl. Lucy somehow managed to put two and two together, just in time for them to leave on a date, but not before Aquarius threatened her, again.
"Enjoy yourselves." Angel waved goodbye as the two vanished. "Once she's dead, maybe we can go on a double."
"Wait, you have someone in your life?!" Lucy asked in shock. "Why does every evil girl I know have a man in her life?"
Angel merely chuckled before walking over to Lucy. "I'm just surprised that you've survived this long, without knowing how the Celestial Spirit interact with each other." A superkick sent Lucy crashing backward. "A novice like you can't hope to beat me!"
'How am I going to beat her without my strongest spirit?' Lucy thought in a panic underwater. 'Wait!' The blonde burst out of the water, holding a different key. 'I've still got one more power house!' "Open, Gate of the Lion - Leo!"
"Your prince is here." Loke said as he appeared.
"Leo?" Hibiki asked in shock.
"If we don't beat this chick, all the guilds will destroy each other." Lucy told the spirit.
"Don't worry." Loke pushed his glasses up. "I'll take care of it."
"Just how slow are you?" Angel asked with a chuckle. "Let me give you another lesson on relationships." She pulled out another key. "Open, Gate of the Ram-" All three stared in shock as a girl with pink hair and horns in a white dress appeared. "Aries."
"I'm sorry, Leo..." The new spirit said.
"How did she get her hands on her?" Lucy asked. "I thought she was one of Karen's spirits... I can't ask Loke to fight her..."
Hibiki stared at the ram spirit in shock. 'Aries... why are you here?'
"Why do you have Karen's spirit?" Lucy asked.
"Who do you think helped kill her?" Angel asked as she pat the spirit on the head. "I told you my man can be unpleasant. She wasn't much of a fight. She tried to open two gates when she could barely stand. It was like she gave me her keys on a platter. I just wish she put up more of a fight. I can't even count the number of wizards who lost their lives to me."
Leo glared at her as Angel looked over to Lucy. "You'll just end up another name on the obituary page."
'This woman... killed killed my love. She was murdered by one of her own. A Celestial wizard... I'll kill them all!' Hibiki thought in a blind rage before looking up at Nirvana. 'No! I can't think like that, or else Nirvana will take hold. I can't think of her!'
"You finally get to see each other, and now you have to fight?" Lucy asked as she looked at Leo's key. "No, I can't let you do this. Close-"
She held the key out and Loke stoped her. "I don't need you to protect me. Me and Aries might be old friends, but now our contracts are different. And we'll fight for our wizards."
Aries nodded at her friends statement. "I may owe my life to you, Leo, but right now you are my enemy."
Lucy could only watch as the spirits charged at each other. "For that is our pride!" Both spirits shouted before they began trading blows.
"What do you know, they're actually fighting?" Angel chuckled out. "It may not be five stars, but I'm not one to stop good theater."
"Stop it..." Lucy was sick to her stomach watching this. "Friends should fight... please stop..."
Angel watched the scene and had a different thought. "I suppose it's not going the way I wanted it to... I didn't think she'd have to fight someone like Leo. But it's not a problem." She reached into her dress and pulled out her silver key. "Open, Gate of the Chisel - Caelum!"
The Spirit appeared and floated over the water. "Time for some target practice. Once Leo is stopped in his tracks, fire away." The Spirit transformed into its cannon form and fired, ripping through both spirits, shocking Lucy and making Angel laugh. "Now that is priceless."
"Leo..." Aries reached out to her friend as he did the same before both faded back to the Spirit world.
"And THAT is how you how you pull of multiple summons." Angel bragged as Caelum returned to normal. "Looks like big, bad Leo will be out of action for a while."
Lucy could only clench her fist in anger. "You disgust me..."
"Wait, are you crying?" Angel asked. "It's not like Celestial spirits can die or anything."
"That doesn't me they don't feel pain!" Lucy shouted back. "They aren't just dolls for you to play with! A real Celestial wizard would know that!" Angel chuckled as Lucy pulled out a key. "Open, Gate of the Golden Bull - Taurus!" The Spirit charged forward with its axe ready to swing.
"Gemini." Angel tapped the key and the spirits reappeared before turning back into Lucy. Like the idiot he is, he fell head over hooves for the copy before getting sent sky high as the doppelgänger swung Caelum like a sword.
"Taurus!" Lucy dropped to her knees, making Angel laugh.
"I'm sorry to say, but you're simply out gunned." The dark wizard said. "I'm far more powerful than a novice like you." Gemini walked over and started beating on Lucy with Caelum. "Poor girl, no need to beat yourself up over the matter." She laughed at her own joke as Lucy crashed into the water. "I think she needs more pain."
Hibiki smiled darkly at Lucy. "More pain..."
Lucy tried to stand but fell back, looking at Angel. "Quit staring at me. It's annoying."
"Release Aries." The blonde, shocking Gemini.
"Wait, that's your last request?" Angel asked.
"Karen tormented her, broke her on a daily basis." Lucy said. "She deserves to be happy, but that won't until she's free..."
Gemini glared at the blonde and swung her sword, sending Lucy crashing backwards. "Is that the way to ask for something we want?" Angel teased.
"Please..." Lucy begged. "Let her go... she deserves to be with Loke. And we can make that happen. Do what you want with me but let her find her own happiness."
"For free?" Angel asked.
"You can have anything, except for my spirits!" Lucy shouted. "You can even take my life."
"I have a better idea..." Angel said. "Why don't I just kill you and take your spirits? Gemini, kill her." The spirit raised the sword to strike, but stopped in the air. "What are you waiting for!?"
"I... hear a strange voice..." Geminis voice started to warp between their own and Lucy's. "It's in my head..." All of the passion Lucy felt for her spirits poured into the spirits head as a tear fell. "I can't kill her... she loves us... she's willing to give her life for us..."
"Begone!" Angel swung her key and closed the gate, making Caelum drop over the river. "You useless piece of trash!" Angel watched as Hibiki walked over to Lucy and grabbed her neck. "No way! Your friend swapped sides in the middle of the fight!?" Angel laughed as she waited for Hibiki to strangle Lucy.
"Calm down..." His glowing hands moved to her head. "This might sting a bit. I'm gonna use archive to teach you an advanced spell." Archive activated and Lucy gasped.
"What!?" Angel gasped as Caelum floated over.
Lucy screamed as thousands of spells raced through her head. 'Talk about a close one...' Hibiki thought. 'I almost fell to the dark side. But then your love for your spirits drove the darkness away. If anyone can make this work, you can.'
"Caelum, take them out!" Angel ordered as the spirit turned into its cannon form.
The last of the data given, Hibiki fell over into the water. 'It's all up to you, Lucy...'
Angel found herself surrounded by planetary bodies in an unknown plane. "Survey the Heavens, Open the Heavens... All the stars, far and wide... Show me thy appearance... With such shine. Oh Tetrabiblos... I am the ruler of the stars... Aspect become complete... Open thy malevolent gate. Oh 88 Stars of the heaven..." Angel stood in a panic as Lucy's eyes snapped open. "Shine! Urano Metria!
The planetary orbs peppered Angel into the air until she splashed into the water. Hibiki smiled as Lucy looked around confused. "Did... I win?" She looked around turning to Erik in a panic. "Erik!" She walked over a bit before Angel, her clothing destroyed but there was barely a scratch on her, exploded out of the water, holding Caelum.
"I will... not lose..." The spirit turned into its cannon form and began to charge. "I am one of the Oraciōn Seis. You never stood a chance!"
'Why are her clothes torn up?' Lucy asked, blanking on the fact that she caused the injuries. 'It feels like all my strength is gone...'
"Time to die!" Angel fired the blast and it flew straight at Lucy, before it curved around her and hit the rock holding the raft in place, breaking it in half. "You betrayed me too!?" The spirit beeped in response before returning to the Spirit world.
"Just give up already! It's over!" Lucy shouted.
"You don't get it, do you!?" Angel asked in anger as she threw off her headband. "I'm not doing this for the Oración Seis! I'm not doing this because of Nirvana! I'm doing this for me!" She tackled the blonde and forced Lucy onto the raft, making the raft move again.
"I'm not!" She delivered a punch that shattered Lucy's nose. "Gonna lose!" Another punch cracked her skull. "To You!" She raised both her hands and delivered a doublefist slam to the blondes head. She put the blonde on the raft before shoving her head into the water and wrapping her fingers around Lucy's throat. "Die! Die! DIE!" She squeezed her finger tighter when Hibiki grabbed her head.
"Overload." Thousands of data points ran through Angels head, making her scream in pain until her body just shut down.
As she fell into the water, she looked up at Nirvana. 'My one prayer... just to be with you... forever... I'm sorry, Natsu.' Her body hit the water with a splash and started floating downstream before getting pulled to the left by the current.
"That was for Karen..." Hibiki fell back and crashed into the river bank.
Beaten badly, Lucy watched Angel float pass by before realizing that the two on the raft were heading for a waterfall. "Oh, come on!" She braced herself on the wood as they went over the fall.
With Brain
Brain grabbed his face in pain as another mark faded away. "Not possible... Angel has also been defeated!? Mark my words, I will avenge you all! The light will come crashing down, and your deaths will be avenged."
With Angel
Angel, still very much alive, floated down the river, pissed off as if she heard Brain. "I'm not dead, ya know."
Is it wrong that I really enjoyed writing Lucy getting beaten up by Angel? Pay no attention to what Gemini said as Lisanna. That was just a dig at all 'bitch Lisanna' stories. It's just pointless drabble, just like those stories.
Brief explanation about those tattoos. EVERYONE who gets one will find themselves with a little something special. In Angel's case, she's got Natsu's strength and endurance, so while her body is tough, her mind is still human and can only take so much information at one point before just shutting down. On the plus side though, all that data she saw MIGHT give her access to something special.
Let me be very clear, this is a HIBIKI win, not a Lucy win. He's the one who finally took Angel out, and Natsu's not gonna be happy about that. The only question is, how unhappy?
Now, next is the chapter where Lucy and Erik get the spirit garbs, but I don't want him to wear the same thing that Natsu did. So, does anyone have any suggestions? Leave them in the reviews.
Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.
