Happy New Year, everyone! Cheers to a (hopefully) better and less crazy year!
Expect a major battle with Jellal soon! :D
Façade
Chapter 16: Battle of Fairy Tail
Nobody expected to find Gajeel being pummeled to the dirt in the park of Magnolia. Everyone who formerly feared his reputation was now watching the action in astonishment. Some thought he deserved it, while others thought this was another one of Fairy Tail's incompetent fights.
Initially he was on his way to perform his assigned task given by Makarov, infiltrating Raven Tail, until Jet and Droy lured him into South Gate Park. He found Levy hiding behind a tree as she nervously made eye contact with him.
Gajeel stood there, guilty for everything he'd done prior to joining Fairy Tail. He thought this was a way to make amends with the others. In his eyes, punishment was the way to atonement.
Jet was the one who broke the silence. "A person like you shouldn't be worthy of taking on jobs. Not after everything that happened."
Gajeel was keen on sharing his difference of opinion. He voiced his opinion easily back in Phantom Lord; albeit, he used lethal measures to convince people he was right. "I disagree. I've already apologized like the councilman asked, what more do you want?"
Droy snorted, "Are you asking for a fight?"
Gajeel held his ground. No sooner than he planted his feet, Jet raced towards him full speed and kicked him in the stomach, sending Gajeel flying. The Dragon Slayer coughed, not expecting the surprise attack. Jet sent him crashing to the floor with another speed-enhanced kick. By the looks of it, Gajeel didn't make any effort to avoid the incoming spells.
Levy pleaded, "Guys, I think he's had enough. Please stop."
The two ignored her comment—if they showed any sign of hearing her—and continued with their revenge.
"Knuckle Plant!" chanted Droy, causing seeds to sprout into fists out of the ground. They attacked Gajeel simultaneously, leaving bruises in their wake.
The two noticed he wasn't fighting back, nor did he protest. Vines grew from the ground and trapped Gajeel in his place, while Jet continued attacking him in his idle state.
Levy looked away, fearful of his fate. After a series of punches and magic attacks, Droy released the bindings from Gajeel. He dropped to the floor and panted from the aching pain. His wrists were red and bruised from the merciless grip of Droy's vines.
"Are you done yet?"
The two mages frowned, but showed no sign of attacking him any further. Only then did Levy's eyes reopen, only to widen in horror. Laxus appeared in front of him, shocking all the mages. Gajeel heard a few things about the Lightning Dragon Slayer, but dismissed them as rumours. However, seeing him in the flesh convinced him that Laxus wasn't just all talk.
Monster, thought Gajeel.
"Laxus," Jet and Droy mouthed in a trance.
The arrogant mage threw a menacing glare at Gajeel. "So, you're the one who destroyed our guildhall?"
If he thought Erza was scary, he was sorely mistaken. The man's magic energy was comparable to Jellal's, and that spoke volumes on how competent of a mage he was. Master Jose had always been reluctant about fighting Laxus, knowing well of his potential.
The next moment was a blur, but sure enough Gajeel was on his knees, screaming his lungs bloody. Laxus' lightning struck him with full force, showing the terror and power of the merciless wizard. The Shadow Gear couldn't bear the agonizing screams. The Lightning Mage stepped on the Iron Dragon Slayer, watching him writhe in pain. "Think about this the next time you destroy the guildhall!" he yelled, emphasizing each word as he kicked the mage brutally.
Jet spoke softly, interrupting Laxus. "Hey, he's had enough already."
Laxus immediately shot a malicious glare towards the three mages, pitying the man who—in Laxus' eyes—was nonredeemable. Preparing to attack them as well, Laxus raised his arm, aiming directly at the Shadow Gear before collapsing. He didn't feel a body under his foot anymore, and it couldn't have been Gajeel's doing, as his wounds took a toll on him. The poor mage was too weak to move after being attacked numerous times.
Holding him up was none other than Jellal, trying to keep him on the brink of consciousness. He felt droplets of blood trickle onto his hand, registering Gajeel's bleeding mouth. Jellal kept him upright, despite his comrade's heavier weight. "I think you've had your fun, Laxus."
His lips curved up into a grin. "What a mockery. To think you would help him after everything he did. Tarnishing our reputation, putting Fairy Tail's name to shame." Every reason fueled his anger, and nothing could stop the oil being added to the fire.
"He already suffered the consequences for his actions. There's no need for the hostility. It's quite a sight, if you ask me. I didn't take you as the type to attack a harmless person."
The comment hurt the Lightning Dragon Slayer's ego. Laxus used the opportunity to attack Jellal, convinced that Gajeel weighed down the councillor. He hit nothing but the air, witnessing the power of a Wizard Saint firsthand. "He moves faster than my lightning?" Laxus whispered, voicing his thoughts.
Jellal turned to the Shadow Gear, handing Gajeel over to the three. "He needs to get his wounds bandaged."
Jet and Droy nodded, gulping at the fact that they hurt one of their own. They realized that Gajeel redeemed himself a while ago, when he apologized to them the day he joined Fairy Tail. Jet and Droy draped Gajeel's arm over their shoulders, carrying them slowly while Levy used her Solid Script to summon a cloth, bandaging it. Before leaving the empty park, they discerned the dramatic increase of magic power from behind them. It was a drag to carry him, but they hurried in fear of falling victim to the blond's temper.
"All this magic energy?" Levy questioned, staring at Jellal, then Laxus. Behind their cool demeanors was the raging fire of their power.
"Let's see if you're worthy of your title, Wizard Saint." Challenged Laxus.
On cue, Jellal activated Meteor and raced behind Laxus, noticing how they reversed places in mere seconds. None of them wasted time, knowing one wrong move could lead to their demise. It'd been a while since either of them had to gear up for a battle thoroughly.
Although Jellal was strong, Laxus had the upper hand in physical strength and durability. Now also wasn't the time to deploy spells in the middle of a park. Such as the misfortune of someone working in the council.
He studied Laxus' patterns, if he could find any at all. It was hard to predict his movements because he seldom witnessed the prideful wizard fight. The last time he could recall Laxus in action was at the S-Class Trials. Since then, his fighting style improved over the years. Aggressive would be the right word to describe the change.
Laxus studied the look on his rival's face before cackling. "You're worried we'll destroy the entire area? Don't make me laugh, everyone expects this, we're not performing some kind of dance recital. If you're so concerned about this measly park, then how about a battle of physical strength?"
Jellal's eyes narrowed into something dangerous. "Is there something you're trying to tell me?"
It slightly frightened Laxus that Jellal caught on to his assumption. "You're quick. Come on, don't tell me you haven't figured it out? Between the both of us, we know you're weaker. So you would want to avoid physical contact at all costs."
Jellal quirked an eyebrow, impressed that Laxus concluded that information with a simple look on his face. "If you think that will stop me from fighting you, you're wrong."
The blond grinned, loving the ambition his fellow guild member held. Jellal was perhaps the most entertaining person in the guild. There was this fire in him, a challenger who would fulfill every obstacle. It's this wanderlust that allowed Jellal to reach above and beyond what others could comprehend. He held the title of which thousands of mages wished to have, yet failed to achieve it.
Laxus couldn't deny that Jellal was accomplished, which made him smile wider. The thought of defeating an untouchable opponent like him would let him reach even greater heights.
The two mages remained still for a moment before Laxus sped towards him. Jellal observed his speed and came up with countless scenarios where his enemy could attack from. He couldn't let Laxus close the distance between the two, but he ended up brushing past Jellal, preparing to ambush him from behind. Expecting Laxus to right hook, he flew upwards. As predicted, the blond man swung his arm where Jellal previously was but found the Wizard Saint above him.
"You're just going to keep running away?" grunted the blond. He didn't respond, Jellal didn't want to reveal his plans. He knew many things the other had yet to learn, especially battle strategies known in skilled spars against other Wizard Saints.
Laxus took out his enemies with ease, which meant he would always face him head on, unafraid. It's his arrogance that got the best of him. Laxus never had a formidable opponent to face in the past, aside from Gildarts. He was using the same strategy here; rushing into battle without a plan.
"I'll just have to come to you myself."
Laxus appeared from below his opponent and seized his leg from underneath. In turn, Jellal kicked the latter away, sending Laxus crashing down. He landed on his feet, using the ground as leverage to rocket into Jellal. The Wizard Saint grunted as Laxus punched him in the right cheek, causing him to crash into the grand tree at the centre of the park.
Immediately after, Laxus cast a spell, forcing Jellal off the tree before he could get caught in the blast. The branches broke off, and chaos ensued as the large pieces of bark collapsed on the ground.
After witnessing the magic spell destroy the tree, Jellal rushed to Laxus at a rapid speed, confusing his opponent as he created random patterns around him. It would take an impressive deal of concentration to locate his movements. And while Laxus was trying to predict his next move, the councillor caught him off guard and kicked him in the jaw, followed by the stomach.
Laxus arched his back from the sudden ache, while Jellal felt his face, trying to numb the pain.
"You've got guts," growled the Dragon Slayer.
Jellal crossed his arms in front when Laxus lunged towards him, blocking every swing of his arm. The two moved fast enough so that nobody else could detect the incoming attacks of the two wizards.
The only person capable of swinging Jellal away from Laxus was none other than Erza Scarlet, furious at their childish behaviour. Erza caught him by surprise when she casually pulled him away from his opponent. However, it wasn't Jellal she was mad at; it was Laxus.
Laxus didn't make any attempt to hide his initial shock.
"What is going on? Why are you fighting him, Laxus?" she demanded, seeing Laxus' countenance grow into something cruel.
The Lightning Mage took a second to register her assumption before laughing loudly. Although, she was correct about Laxus starting the fight. "Protecting your precious childhood friend? Don't make me laugh, this was an agreement on both ends."
Erza turned to her friend, who maintained a poker face. "He's right."
"You both were acting whimsically. The Harvest Festival is coming up, we can't have Fairy Tail wizards ruining the event."
"Tch," Laxus disappeared within a matter of seconds, while Jellal stared at her, stunned.
"How were you able to locate my arm when we were fighting at such a fast speed?"
Erza smiled, "I had to watch you guys for a couple of minutes. Your speed never fails to amaze me."
His lips curved up in amusement. "What brings you here, anyway?"
Her eyes instantly lit up, "The Miss Fairy Tail contest is today! Don't tell me you forgot."
She should've known that his answer would be the same as the previous years. "I'm not interested in watching it."
"I'm competing this year, so it'll be an interesting turn of events."
Jellal paused. "I thought you were bluffing about that, you never seemed interested in being called the most beautiful girl in the guild."
"Well, all the other girls are competing, so why not? I'm so excited, competitions always get me worked up."
He recalled the annual bingos, where Erza tried her best to win. She did end up winning every single year. But there was never a prize. Maybe the five hundred thousand jewel was promising enough to her. After all, it'd be able to cover up her monthly rent.
Jellal hesitantly gave it a thought before surrendering to her suggestion. "If you're participating, then I suppose it makes sense that I come watch."
"That's the spirit, now let's go!"
Jellal entered the guildhall and surveyed the area crowded with men, with only a few women from outside the guildhall. He would've never taken part in this if it hadn't been for Erza. Millianna also wasn't around, which meant she was also participating this year. It was probably Erza who convinced her to take part this year.
The Sorcerer Weekly reporter, Jason, approached Jellal with excitement. "What a pleasant surprise! Jellal Fernandes has joined us for the fifth annual Miss Fairy Tail Contest! Mister Fernandes, would you like to be a judge this year?"
Jellal shook his head, crossing his arms to show his disinterest in judging the women. He had to wonder just what Erza was planning. By the looks of it, she wasn't going for something simple or common. Many of the women were going for swimsuits, but not Erza. She had a trick up her sleeve this year, which is probably why she was so eager to compete.
Macao and Simon turned to him. They were standing in the front lines. Simon took his visit as a surprise, "I didn't expect you to be here, Jellal."
"I'm surprised at my presence," he said. "Erza and Millianna are competing, so I don't see the harm in watching them."
"Woah Jellal, aren't you supposed to be at the Magic Council or something?" asked Natsu, who was eagerly waiting for the event to start.
"I don't work there full time, Natsu. If that were the case, you'd never see me in the guild. Though, most of the time you'll see I'm a Thought Projection in Era doing paperwork while at the guildhall."
"Is that even possible!?"
Gray narrowed his eyes at a dumbfounded Natsu, "If he can do it, then surely it's possible, idiot."
The Dragon Slayer glared at his rival, "What did you just call me?"
"I said-"
Jellal separated the two, casually flinging them off of each other. Both of the mages landed on their rumps, groaning from the impact. "You two will ruin the festivities if you go at it. For starters, don't cause trouble until the Harvest Festival is over. We wouldn't want Erza getting involved, now would we?" The two mages groaned in response. Jellal smiled, "I take it you both understand my message loud and clear?"
"Yes," they simultaneously replied.
Gajeel looked smug about not getting in trouble by the Wizard Saint. Over the past few days, he had gotten on his good side, and Jellal of all people was interested in talking with him. He noted that Gajeel received medical attention quickly, surprised with Jet and Droy's change of heart. Mirajane happily treated his injuries with an ointment that repaired wounds quickly.
"Feeling better?" inquired Jellal.
Gajeel nodded. "Yeah. That guy's cheap for a Fairy Tail mage."
Jellal didn't know if cheap was the right word to describe Laxus. "He's always had a temper."
Silence cued when the enthusiastic Max appeared on the stage with a microphone in his hand. "Welcome to the one and only Miss Fairy Tail Contest! Where your favourite Fairies thrive in a battle of beauty! I'm Max Alors—sand wizard extraordinaire—and I'll be your host for today!"
Cheering resounded the guildhall. Gray studied Natsu, who was seated quietly beside him. A plate of cookies sat in front of a drowsy Natsu. "I expected to see Elfman here, but why you?"
Elfman passionately responded, "Cause he's a real man!"
Natsu sat there in a daze, eating cookies. The two mages pivoted to Jellal, and Gray drew the obvious conclusion from the cookies and the look on Jellal's face—pure satisfaction.
"So I'm guessing he bribed you with cookies so long as you sat there and did nothing? Great going, Jellal."
"Thank you, I appreciate ingenious ideas. And what about you? What if I let you walk around the guild without clothes? Maybe then you'd behave?"
"Walking around naked is not a hobby like Natsu's food stuffing!" defended the Ice Mage.
"As far I'm concerned, it is—seeing that you strip as often as Natsu eats."
Gray turned red in embarrassment, while Macao and Wakaba howled in laughter. He mumbled something about Jellal having a quick tongue, piquing the Wizard Saint's interest.
Max held his arm out, gesturing to the curtains. "Now let's meet entry number one! The exciting beauty who will drink you under the table any day of the week! Cana Alberona!"
She appeared in front of the stage with a hand in her hair. Loud cheering resounded the room with all the Cana fans holding banners up.
"Now bust out your magic and show us your style!" yelled the host, arching his back in excitement. Cana drew out her cards, which started enveloping her. "What could she be doing behind all those cards?"
She came out in a swimsuit, earning much louder cheering. Jellal crossed his arms, "I give her a one for creativity."
"Oh yeah, got something better in mind?" offered Simon.
"True, this is why I shouldn't judge these contests. Apparently I don't have a normal taste for what's considered appealing."
"You could say that again," whistled Wakaba. "I mean, who doesn't read Sorcerer Weekly editions? You got to love those bikini photoshoots."
Simon and Jellal looked at each other, then back at the middle-aged man. "We don't."
"You both are kids, you won't understand anything yet." Macao said, which was contradictory to the truth since Macao was rumoured to have been more indecent in his younger years.
Lucy peeked from behind the curtain, backstage. "A swimsuit? No fair."
Erza appeared from beneath her and nodded in agreement. "That's a clever idea, maybe I should do it."
The blonde's eyes dropped to scarlet hair, which took her by surprise. "You're in this too?"
"Well, when I heard the word 'contest', I couldn't pass the opportunity."
Lucy wailed as her spirit left her soul. "Bye bye rent money, it's over for me."
"On to entry number two, she may be new to the guild, but her magic is S-Class! A radiant beauty in the rain or shine: Juvia Lockser!"
The water wizard appeared in a dress with a hat, along with her new short hairstyle.
Juvia seemed wholeheartedly content as she produced a swimsuit with her magic, impressing the guild members. "Do you like what you see?" she asked with a glint of hope in her eyes.
Lucy fisted her hand and gritted her teeth. She was mad at herself for not preparing for the contest thoroughly like the other girls. "Another swimsuit? Give me a break!"
Erza nodded yet again, noticing it was the common choice among the ladies.
"Next, our entry number three, Fairy Tail's famous centerfold!" Max took a moment to control himself. "Her beauty has stolen the hearts of men and women all across the land: Mirajane!"
There she appeared on the stage, waving to everyone in her angelic posture. Jellal almost went deaf at the roaring of the crowd, meaning she automatically won unless she did something completely out of the blue to ruin her performance. Mirajane had her ways of surprising people, which was nothing out of the ordinary.
"My specialty is transformation magic, so I'll show you a new side of me." She explained, exciting the men all the more.
"Well, she's mopped the floor already," pointed out Gray. "Mirajane is the biggest competition out there, Erza and the others don't stand a chance."
Jellal took his point into consideration, but found Mirajane of all people to be the most unpredictable. "She isn't taking this seriously."
The barmaid waved a hand over her face, transforming into a certain blue cat. "This is my Happy face!" she exclaimed. Happy laughed to the point where he cried, clutching his stomach. Everyone watched as he enjoyed Mirajane's performance, while all her fans stared with mouths open, disappointed.
"Well, someone's having fun," said Gray.
"This is more like it," mused Simon. Jellal agreed to some extent, while Elfman was at a loss of words.
"This is my Gajeel face," she fabricated said wizard's face, waiting for his response. The Iron Dragon Slayer pursed his lips together, wondering if anyone else was finding it just as amusing. For the record, Gajeel considered her having him teach transformations, wanting to learn the art of impersonation.
"Was she...just a man?" asked Elfman in disbelief.
"And Jellal, this one's for you." Mirajane waved her hand over her face once again and became an old man with wrinkles, a chubby face, and an enormous hat that could only belong to one person. "I'm the Magic Council's head. My name is Crawford! Ho ho ho!"
Simon attempted to muffle his laughter, having witnessed the serious nature of the chairman. Jellal sighed, "Mira, are trying to get a restraining order from the Magic Council?"
"Maybe," she waved again at her speechless audience, before exiting the stage with the entire crowd except Happy shocked.
Lucy put a hand to her mouth and evilly laughed. "Oh well, less competition for me."
"Entry number four, the Fairy Queen who needs no introduction-" announced Max.
Erza opened her eyes suddenly. "That's my cue!" She leapt into the air and did a flip before landing gracefully on the stage. Many fans gathered around and cheered on when she appeared.
"Erza Scarlet!"
Lucy felt her chances getting slimmer when she received all the support from the public eye. "Wow, she's really popular..."
Jellal saw things go in her favour, unless she blew her chance like Mirajane. "Hah, let me show you a requip you don't get to see every day."
Wind gathered around her as she prepared for her final requip, blasting magic energy to the crowd. She came out in the trending Lolita fashion, surprising many of the spectators.
Lucy screamed at the unexpected. "Gothic Lolita!?"
Erza felt victorious the moment she chose her outfit. But the crowd's reaction confirmed her suspicions. Confident, proud, and truly a looker, Jellal concluded she had this in the bag. "Looks like I win." She mused rather smugly.
Macao gulped, "Never thought I'd see her dress like that."
Reedus nodded, "Oui." He held the judging sheet in his hand, remaining passive. Out of everyone, Jellal reacted the strongest. He didn't make any effort to hide his surprise.
Simon laughed, "I think that's a ten for creativity, huh Jellal?"
It took him a moment to respond because Erza made eye contact with him, feeling none shame at all. In fact, she was proud of what she had done. "I have no comment. Never in my lucky stars did I think she would ever go for something so...different. Why does she even have that, anyway?"
"Beats me," shrugged Simon. "She doesn't even use it as armour. I bet you she just got that outfit for this contest."
"Oh, the extremes she'll go to just to win a contest."
All attention turned to Max, who announced the next contestant. "Entry number five, we have cat lovers everywhere but her affection goes above and beyond for them: Millianna!"
"Meow!" she entered, waving at everyone and pointing out the people who donned cat ears and painted whiskers on their face. "I'm going to show you my love for kittens! Kitty Blast!"
She used her rope as a lasso and hauled Happy towards her in mere seconds, holding him up high like he was her prized possession. "I love my itty bitty kitty! He's the cutest!"
Happy cried, "I'm dying here, help me Natsu!"
Unfortunately for him, Natsu continued munching on his cookies while Jellal seemed pleased with the cat lover's stunt. "He deserves it."
"That's kind of harsh for someone like yourself, Jelly." Remarked Gajeel.
"Since when did you have permission to call me that?" the Wizard Saint asked lowly.
"Isn't that your name?" he countered humourlessly.
Jellal rubbed his temples, "Sometimes I worry for your memory. You may even surpass Natsu's forgetfulness."
Gajeel sourly pouted at the statement. "If there's one thing I learned, it's that being compared to Salamander is an insult."
"You're right about that," chirped Gray, which awoke Natsu from his drowsy state. That, and the lack of cookies on his plate.
"Oh yeah, you want to fight me?" challenged the Fire Dragon Slayer.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," came Gajeel's snarky remark.
The Wizard Saint was about to reprimand them for their immaturity, but something else had caught their attention. The three mages stopped bickering when all the attention turned to Max, who yelled for everyone to run. Anyone who wasn't a Fairy Tail mage left the guildhall for good, afraid of Evergreen, who turned Lucy into stone after she complained about not finishing her performance.
Jellal wondered out loud, "If Evergreen is here, then the Thunder Legion-" he surveyed the area and noticed a certain enchantment reeking within the building. Having experience with recognizing enchantments, he cautioned, "Makarov, get out of the way!"
In an instant, Jellal flipped backwards twice, noticing there were barriers aimed at him. He pushed Makarov out of the way and ended up trapped in an enchanted barrier meant for the guild master.
Everyone else noticed the threat only after the councillor had sensed it. "This can only be the work of Freed."
"Jellal!" yelled Natsu, trying to chip away at the barrier. Every time he collided with the enchantment, he bounced off of it.
Evergreen chuckled, putting a fan to her face. "I'm afraid it's no use. In order to dispel the barrier, you all must meet a certain condition. And in this case, someone has to defeat to me. That, or the magic will wear off in three hours—which is also when the statues will shatter. Whichever comes first."
"Other statues?" mumbled Simon.
The curtain slid left to reveal all the contestants of the Miss Fairy Tail Contest turned to stone.
Jellal couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Erza got petrified?"
Gray fisted his hands, "That's playing dirty!"
Freed appeared from the second floor, descending from the second floor to join Evergreen on the stage. "Actually, it's really not. I originally came up with a barrier for Jellal, which was much stronger than the one intended for Makarov." He pointed to the barrier that formed around nobody, implying that Jellal should've been trapped in there. "I must admit, his reflexes are quick."
Jellal said nothing, waiting for Bickslow to join them. Then Laxus came joined his team in his Thought Projection, laughing maniacally. "Consider yourself the honorary guest, Jellal. Your imprisonment is meant to make this battle more exciting. Our fight will be the ultimate showdown. Yes, it'll be a Fairy Tail battle royale!"
"A battle?"
"This is a festivity for the Harvest Festival. I call it the Battle of Fairy Tail, where we determine the strongest wizard through a series of fights."
Freed took his stand beside Laxus, "I always wondered who the strongest person in the guild was."
"This is a ridiculous idea!" objected Makarov.
Laxus continued explaining the rules until Natsu interrupted him, approaching him with a flame in his fist. Having gone against the point entirely, the Dragon Slayer was rather excited. "Alright Laxus, I see where you're going with this. Nice and simple, just how I like it."
Laxus' face lit up, "That's the spirit, glad to know we see eye to eye."
Makarov turned to Natsu in bewilderment. "Are you out of your mind, child? This is no time to fight!"
Warren clicked his tongue, asking Natsu, "Aren't you forgetting you lost to him last time?"
"I was just a kid that time."
Everyone furrowed their eyebrows at Natsu's poor memory. "That was just last year!"
The Fire Mage snorted. "Well, I've gotten way stronger now."
As he ran jumped towards Laxus, the Lightning Dragon Slayer remained in his spot. "Careful, that spirit of yours can get you into harm's way."
A strike of lightning engulfed Natsu within seconds. He felt every beam shock him until he collapsed on the floor, groaning in pain before he passed out. Everyone spectated the scene in horror, afraid of confronting Laxus.
"Natsu!" hollered Gray.
Warren put a hand to his forehead, easily predicting the outcome of Natsu's ambition. "See, I told you so."
The rosy haired boy landed on the ground, shocked. He couldn't move, paralyzed for the time being.
"I had enough of your nonsense Laxus!" roared the guild master, who was turning into a giant. Jellal thought it was best to remain quiet. Their pleas fell on deaf ears. Laxus was controlling the game of chess, lining up the pawns so they could battle it out.
"You'd better simmer down old man. The party's just getting started!" roared Laxus. The flash of light blinded everyone as the Thunder Legion disappeared. After recovering from the initial shock, the mages studied the stage where their former comrades previously stood upon. Now all they saw were the women of Fairy Tail, petrified.
All the men started running towards the exit, with a few girls following behind. Laki was fortunate enough to have not joined the contest and fall victim to Evergreen's spell. She was just as eager to fight as anyone else.
"Hey Reedus, could please pass me a light pen?" asked Jellal, studying the writing of Freed's enchantments.
"Hm?" said mage came out of his hiding spot and confronted Jellal. "How am I supposed to do that? I can't enter that barrier."
"But inanimate objects can," explained Jellal. "Toss the pen to me."
"I'll try." He motioned his arm in an underhand throw, to which Jellal easily snatched the pen the moment he could reach out for it. It successfully passed through the barrier, just as he predicted.
"Thanks."
The guild master noticed Reedus hiding behind a pillar, only being recognized when Jellal asked for the pen. "Why are you hiding, my boy?"
He fiddled with his fingers before making eye contact with the guild master. "I'm afraid I'll become prone as Laxus' victim."
"You're safe now." Confirmed Makarov, before adding, "Why don't you go to the East Forest and find Porlyusica? She might have something to counter Evergreen's petrification spell."
He reluctantly left with a gulp, afraid of encountering a member of the Thunder Legion.
"I'll go after Laxus myself." He declared determinedly. Makarov sped towards the exit until he bumped his head on one of Freed's enchantments.
"That barrier prohibits stone statues, and anyone over eighty to proceed any further." Deduced Jellal, based on what he read on the top. "It's important that one reads the rules of the barriers, otherwise they can face consequences."
The old man was close to pulling his moustache off at the unexpected turn of events. In his opinion, the entire game was messed up. Jellal couldn't fight until the three-hour mark. Erza was a hostage, and he himself was too old to compete. Laxus had it all sorted out, and judging by the usage of the enchantments, Freed had incorporated his ideas into the plan.
Makarov attentively watched as Jellal started writing on the barrier, not faltering in his fast movements. It was surprising to see Jellal write quickly in an ancient language. "What are you doing?"
"Rewriting the enchantment on the barrier. All it takes is to find a flaw or opening in the writing. It takes a long time to conjure up these barriers—even longer if you want to perfect them. Time isn't something Freed had, seeing that he made the barriers where we stood while observing the contest."
"And since when did you find out about this?"
Jellal gave a thin smile, "There's a reason why the Magic Council isn't in ruins yet."
Makarov gasped at the realization. "You mean to say there's an enchantment that protects intruders from entering?"
"It was a collective effort of a selected few, but Belno specializes in Letter Magic, so she did most of the work. Light Pens are common in the Magic Council."
Makarov put a hand to his chin. "I see. Very perceptive of you."
"It will take a while, though. I can't conjure up an enchantment out of nowhere."
"Will you finish before the three-hour mark?"
Jellal looked at him amusingly, "I think that's why I'm doing this. Besides, there's no way I'll let them shatter the statues."
He stared at Erza, only to notice his telepathic connection with her was still intact. "That's weird, I shouldn't be able to talk to anyone who's turned to stone."
"What was that?" asked Makarov, trying to make out Jellal's inaudible whisper.
"Nothing," he continued writing as quickly as possible, being able to do so proficiently after years of paperwork.
All attention turned to Natsu, who woke up from Happy flying around him. He gave an alarmed yell before sitting up straight. "Happy, we're late! I need to fight Laxus!"
"That's right, Natsu. Go get them!" cheered his friend.
Natsu headed towards the town, "I'm coming for you Lax-"
He bumped into the invisible barrier, sliding down it as his cheeks collided with the wall-like structure.
"AHH!" yelled Happy.
Natsu studied his body, "No way man, I can't be over eighty! I don't have wrinkly hands or white hair. And I'm definitely not as short as Gramps!"
"This isn't the time to insult my body, immature child! Fact of the matter is, for some unknown reason you can't pass this invisible wall, making all odds stacked against us."
Happy stared at the writing in a trance. He noticed there were updates about the battle. Jellal also noticed the status of the mages. Everyone wiped each other out, and thirty people were eliminated within the first half hour. The flying cat exclaimed, "Master, look! Everyone's fighting each other. Elfman versus Evergreen, the winner is...Evergreen."
"I was counting on someone as strong as him to defeat her." Makarov studied the ongoing matches. "Reedus wasn't able to reach Porlyusica? Now our only chance of turning the girls back to normal is by defeating Evergreen."
"Two members have entered the battle. Wally and Sho." Noted Jellal.
The geezer recalled the purpose of their trip, before informing the others. "Ah, yes. I sent them on an errand for the Fantasia Parade. It seems their timing is impeccable."
"No, it's not." Jellal watched as the status changed for the two. "They will have to fight each other now, thanks to Freed's enchantments being set up everywhere around Magnolia."
Everyone watched in intensity as Evergreen entered a battle with another person.
"Simon...against Evergreen?" Makarov voiced his concern.
Evergreen waved her fan in front of her, studying Simon with interest. "You saw his outcome, did you not? Are you asking to be turned into stone?"
Poor Elfman lay on the ground, immobile because Evergreen decided to beautify the beast by turning him into stone.
Simon took a long look at Elfman before facing his opponent, angry to say the least. "I will defeat you, no matter what this battle costs."
"How foolish of you to think so. Oh well, if you truly insist." She chuckled, claiming this victory like it was nothing. She knew little about Simon, but he wasn't a renowned mage, right? So taking him out should've been easy.
"Dark Moment."
Evergreen took her glasses off, only to stare into nothingness. She looked around, trying to find any source of light. Her spells thrived in bright areas, and she was vulnerable to the darkness.
Simon appeared behind her, kicking her unexpectedly. She fell to the ground, scraping her knees.
As fast as she fell, Evergreen got back on her feet, feeling intimidated that Simon figured out her weakness. "Interesting, you made our surroundings dark so you wouldn't be able to turn into stone. That was a smart idea, but I'm afraid it won't work. Fairy Bomb: Gremlin!"
She surrounded Simon in her magic, but he crept up towards her, catching her in her own blast. She was getting attacked by her very own spell, while Simon used her to save himself. Still, he sustained a few injuries.
Normally, she would use strategy to her advantage, so she wondered how he could use her own plan to his advantage.
"How dare you try to outsmart me, the lovely Fairy Queen?"
Simon almost laughed. "As far as I'm concerned, Erza's the one with that title."
Just mention Erza and Evergreen's face spoke volumes about her grudge against her. It wasn't really a grudge, a more acceptable way to put it would be envy. The will to defeat Titania. Yes, this was one of Evergreen's desires to claim the title as Queen of the Fairies. "You'll regret ever saying that!"
"Iron Rock Wall," chanted the mage, blocking Evergreen from closing the distance. She crash landed on the floor after bumping into the heavy cemented wall that emerged out of the ground.
After stepping back for a safe distance, she cast her own spell. "Fairy Machine Gun!" Evergreen gathered magic needles in her hand, surprising Simon from behind. She successfully threw the attack at her opponent, causing Simon to collapse from the impact.
Evergreen flew around, out of reach so Simon wouldn't use any spells linked with the ground. Or perhaps...that gave him an idea.
"Liquid Ground!" the ground softened like quicksand and Simon used it as a wave to engulf Evergreen in the attack. He paused midway when he glimpsed at the flash of scarlet passing his eyes. No doubt about it, Erza Scarlet was quick and speedy in her movements.
"Erza?" asked Simon in surprise.
She requipped out of her contest outfit and into her normal Heart Kreuz armour. Evergreen gasped in disbelief. "If I recall correctly, I turned you into stone, didn't I?"
Erza didn't respond to her question, shutting her left eye as Evergreen took off her glasses. Simon realized why the spell didn't affect her. "Your...artificial eye?"
She nodded at him, "I can take it from here."
Erza lunged at Evergreen as she used her wings to ascend to the roofs in Magnolia. She followed suit and jumped on each structure, racing towards the mage. She requipped two twin blades in her hands, preparing to lunge at the attack.
Her opponent unleashed her last attack, as she exhausted almost all her magic energy on Simon and Elfman. "Fairy Machine Gun: Leprechaun!"
A torrent of needles with pure magic energy burst towards Erza, who fought it off while employing three swords, using them to dodge the attacks. Evergreen gaped at her, surprised that she could wield a sword so flawlessly. The fairy wizard collapsed on the floor, heaving in exhaustion because of Simon's attacks.
"He...he's powerful." Breathed Evergreen, her throat felt like lead as she tried soothing the burning ache of her injuries.
Erza pinned her on the wall with the twin blades through Evergreen's sleeves. She lifted her face off the wall and glared at her heatedly. "Remote control. Bow down, if you refuse, I'll turn your pretty little fairy friends into dust!"
"Hm?" Erza said, confused. For a moment, Evergreen believed her mind control was working. Erza stopped in her tracks, much to the latter's amusement. The feeling turned into horror as her opponent requipped into her Heaven's Wheel armour, with countless swords pointed at her.
Evergreen forced out a nervous laughter as Titania spoke. "I'm impressed Evergreen, I never knew you were the type to sacrifice yourself for your own ideals. If the statues must be shattered, I will have no choice but to collect your soul in retribution for their demise."
Her hopeless enemy tapped her fingers against the wall, thinking about what to do. Evergreen screamed in the hopes of Freed and Bickslow coming to her aid, to which Erza muffled her noises with a fist, silencing her. "If you're going to bluff, then do it right."
She spoke through the fist hesitantly. Valuing her life more than Laxus' ideals, she conceded. "Alright, you win."
Sensing her impending defeat, she passed out from the hit after turning the Miss Fairy Tail contestants back to their original selves.
Simon caught up to Erza when she turned back into her normal attire, panting slightly. "Erza!"
She smiled, "Splendid job on taking down Evergreen."
He scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I didn't exactly take her down. I was in the midst of performing my last spell." He still had so many unanswered questions. "How did the effects wear off?"
"Well..."
Jellal found it odd that he could still communicate with Erza despite her petrified state. He was just about done rewriting the rune until Laxus showed up.
"Only twenty-eight contenders remain." He informed through his Thought Projection. Laxus cackled as he realized Gray was the one who was beaten by Bickslow in a one-sided magical fight. "And you thought that chump would save you?"
Happy turned to him in fury, "You cheater! I know you and your pals used some dirty trick to beat him!"
And it was true, Gray was in a barrier which prevented him from using magic. Laxus' footsteps echoed towards Makarov. "Who's going to beat the Thunder Legion now? Will it be done before Evergreen shatters those statues? I wonder..." he noticed Jellal's strange behaviour. Refined would be the correct word to describe his attitude, confusing the Lightning Dragon Slayer.
"Gajeel will!" exclaimed Happy.
"I don't think so. He's made it clear that he doesn't want to play. Which isn't surprising for him, that guy couldn't care less about what happens to the guild." A pause as he keenly observed his rival. "You're awfully quiet, Jellal. Hatching up a plan amidst your imprisonment? You're no better than all the people out there fighting."
No response. Laxus bit the inside of his cheek at the lack of Jellal's reactions. From what he heard, Jose forced him into extremes. And that's exactly what Laxus wanted to do with Jellal; back him up in a corner and force him to fight.
Makarov internally debated about the right thing to do. It was only a matter of time before those statues would be shattered into pieces. "I had enough of this, I surrender. Stop this right now."
Jellal fisted his hands, "Makarov, don't say that! It's not over yet. Have faith in Simon."
Laxus enjoyed the turn of events. "What's gotten into you? You can't just give up in the drop of a hat! But if you insist on quitting, hand the guild over to me and take an early retire."
Natsu squared off with him from the side. "Why do you got to play dirty, huh? Why don't you actually face us?"
"I should've known this was your plan all along," mumbled the guild master.
"You've only got an hour until those statues crumble. Announce your resignation over the loudspeakers of the guildhall to Magnolia. What do you value more; your children, or your title? Choose carefully."
As soon as Laxus disappeared, Jellal broke free from the barrier. The letters crumbled around him and vanished into nothingness. "Now that I'm out, I can join the battle and force Gajeel to come along."
Everyone turned their attention to the rummaging of plates and metal in the bar's cabinets. Gajeel rose from his spot, chewing on some metal.
Happy screeched, "He's eating all the dishes!"
"You were here this entire time?"
The mage simply shrugged in response, ducking his head underneath to grab some more metal before emerging from his spot.
Makarov held a hand out to prevent the other mages from speaking. "Gajeel, will you fight for our guild?"
The Iron Dragon Slayer hopped across the counter and grinned. "Guess I will, seeing that I have a score to settle with him." He registered Jellal's presence before sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "And because I guess he helped me."
"I think Jellal's been too nice for his own good lately," commented Natsu.
Happy concurred, "I think so too."
"In my defence, Gajeel's not pushy. I can't speak for you, though."
"That's mean!"
"It's reasonable." Jellal ended the short-lived discussion, returning to the matter at hand. "Now that Gajeel's going to fight, I have one more task to complete."
Makarov eyed him suspiciously. "Task? There's nothing more important than defeating Laxus. Race through that town right now!"
Jellal didn't respond to his forceful request. He approached Erza, who could still talk to him through his Telepathy. He noticed that her right eye was still moving, meaning that the spell didn't affect her entirely. "Erza, use your right eye and focus all your magic energy on it."
Happy panicked. "He's gone crazy, poor Jellal. It must've been lonely being stuck in that barrier. And now he's talking to statues."
Natsu rolled his eyes and stood beside Jellal. "I guess I'll help her. Man, this sucks, I thought I'd be able to show Erza up this time."
Makarov's heart painfully pounded in his chest. "Say what!?"
Everyone watched closely as Natsu produced a flame in his hands. By the time he brought it near Erza, her stoned eye started cracking.
Aside from Jellal, everyone feared for their lives. Natsu especially had been concerned. "That was not supposed to happen! Happy, quick, get some glue!"
Gajeel offered his advice. "That's not going to work, you idiot! We're going to have to use your fire and my iron to weld her back together."
"Erza, no!" a shocked Makarov cried out.
Natsu held her statue in a slanted position and shook his head back and forth between Jellal, Happy, and Makarov. Mainly Jellal to see his reaction, to prepare for his impending punishment from the Wizard Saint.
"Would you all settle down?" was his request. Natsu placed Erza on the stage delicately and grabbed onto Jellal's boots, begging for mercy.
"Jellal, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, please!"
"If you're going to apologize, do it to Erza." Jellal said without a hint of interest in Natsu's antiques.
He stopped in his tracks. "Oh." He faced Erza, praying as he bowed down in front of her immobile state. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Sorry!" he started again.
More of the statue cracked, while Natsu continued prostrating to her. She had been revered in like a saint, and the spectacle was mildly amusing for Jellal.
Gajeel was terrified of the outcome. Erza was probably coming to kill him after everything he had done, or worse. Her petrified spirit would haunt him in his dreams.
After moments of Jellal trying to contemplate Natsu and Gajeel's horror, he dragged the two mages off of her and waited for Erza to show herself out.
"Jellal, she's breaking!" wailed the rosy haired man.
"Natsu, this is not something to be crying about."
The Dragon Slayer couldn't believe his ears. "You're kidding, right? How heartless can you be, jerk? Erza's about to die and you're just standing there?"
"She's not dying." Sighed Jellal.
The two Dragon Slayers settled on the ground, witnessing the statue crack to reveal Erza in the flesh. Everyone sighed in relief, while Makarov rubbed his temple, facing the councillor. "You knew, didn't you?"
Jellal wasn't one to be complacent about his achievements. "What can I say? The most common perk sold in black markets are petrifying potions. You'd be surprised by the number of people who use them."
"Why am I even shocked to learn about this?"
Erza pitched into the conversation, trying to feel her once numb fingers. "I'm not surprised at all. He knows a lot more than he gives credit for."
"Please, those words do me justice." He replied, flattered by Erza's comments.
Erza crossed her arms, "Right, how many types of magic do you use? Would you like me to count them all for you?"
"I think we should leave it at that, seeing that there's an entire battle that awaits us. I'm sure you heard all the details?"
She put a hand to her right eye. "Yes, even though I was turned to stone, I could still hear everything."
Makarov sighed in relief as the odds turned in their favour. "We can still beat them."
"Well, I hope Jellal has a plan," pointed out Natsu.
"Freed's enchantments are still in the way. Therefore, I don't have a plan at the moment. The only word of advice I can offer is to avoid untouched parts of the town. That's likely where Freed's enchantments are intact."
"Still, what about the enchantment preventing Natsu from passing through?" asked Happy.
"There's only one thing to do. I'll have to rewrite it."
Makarov shook his head. "But then we won't have enough time!"
"Well, who else can rewrite it, Makarov?"
The wizards stared at the barrier, which upped the count of participants in the battle. Happy didn't recognize the person. "Look, another contestant!"
"But who?"
Erza smiled. "There's another S-Class wizard that's on par with Laxus."
"Mystogan!"
"Hm?" Gajeel never met him, nor recognized him from previous times. Erza noticed his confusion.
"That means he'll be going up against Laxus, right? I shouldn't have to worry about joining the battle."
Jellal had been convinced there was sometimes no getting through Gajeel. "You should try to recover those who are injured, if anything." The Wizard Saint suggested. Gajeel found the task to be boring, but did as he was told.
Erza followed behind Gajeel. She passed through the barrier with ease, but he came to a halt once he slammed against the invisible wall.
Natsu cursed at their luck. "Don't tell me you're over eighty too?"
"Do I look eighty to you?" retorted Gajeel.
Jellal couldn't understand why they weren't able to pass the barrier. Biologically, the two of them were younger than him. It seemed like Laxus had another advantage, with the two Dragon Slayers out of the way. "It must be related to the fact that both of you are Dragon Slayers."
Natsu cried out, "Then how come Laxus can pass it!?"
Jellal, unable to come up with a plausible explanation, simply shrugged off the question.
"I do not have an answer for that. Now, to rewrite Freed's enchantments." He approached the enchanted barrier and observed the writing, while Erza was quick to find Evergreen, heeding Jellal's advice.
She couldn't help but pity the effort made to prepare for the Harvest Festival. Fairy Tail destroyed everything because of a pointless battle. Some people were rather excited, and it hurt to think that fighting against their own friends had become a source of entertainment. She was okay with violence, provided it was for a cause for justice.
And nothing about the ordeal was remotely similar.
"That's how I ended up here." Concluded Erza.
"So, your artificial eye weakened the effects?"
"You're also immune to the spell. We both have an artificial eye. It can prove helpful." Erza was not the only one who had an artificial eye. Simon had been ashamed of his appearance when he first joined Fairy Tail. He made himself scarce, so there were only a selected few who knew about his eye and jaw.
"Oh yeah? I wasn't too keen on getting my jaw treated. Though, I guess a retainer isn't too bad."
"Unless you're wearing it while you try to speak." She laughed, recalling the time where Simon couldn't speak properly because he was talking with his retainer in. They had been younger, where Makarov arranged for an annual sleepover for the children in the guildhall.
He turned pink at the memory. "I could've gone one night without a retainer. That sleepover was disastrous for me."
Erza smiled, "It was still fun. Those were the days where our own comrades weren't our enemies."
"Tell me about it." A pause. "Now that Laxus doesn't have hostages, does that mean we win?"
"Who knows? He's not one to back down from fights, so I doubt it's over yet. His purpose for this is to determine the strongest fighter in the guild."
Simon disagreed. "No, it's likely because he wants to become the guild master. This fight is a way of pressuring Makarov to succumb to his wishes."
"If that's true, then he'll definitely pull another stunt."
As if Erza jinxed it, lacrimas appeared in the sky, surrounding Magnolia. "No way...this is-"
"Laxus activated Thunder Palace!" announced Mirajane, moments after the petrifying spell had been undone. The mages in the guildhall followed her to the balcony to observe the magic. Currently, it was being set up, and the numerous lacrimas.
"He's really pulling out all the stops to get what he wants." Jellal mused, surveying the area.
Cana nodded in agreement, "He's going to wipe out Magnolia with that spell. So now, instead of a few people as hostages, he's endangering the entire city."
"I'm not even sure if we can defeat him, especially with the Thunder Legion still lurking around." Lucy pointed out.
"We can if we come up with a strategy. He activated Thunder Palace, which means we'll all have to work together in order to defeat him." Jellal led everyone to the main hall, gesturing to Freed's magic. "First, we need to rewrite the enchantment. Levy, I assume your Solid Script can counter this." He tossed the light pen in her direction. "Remove the barrier entirely by rewriting it so Natsu, Gajeel, and Master can pass through."
Understanding the conditions of the barrier, Levy nodded and travelled to the guild's archives in search for a book.
Mirajane studied the status of the battle. "Evergreen is the only member of the Thunder Legion down. We still need to take down Freed and Bickslow."
Makarov felt his forehead, trying to focus on the details of the battle. "Just a minute, I don't feel so well..."
A few more steps and Makarov collapsed to the ground, much to the shock of everyone. "Master? Master!" Juvia yelled, panicking upon his state. She had not been aware of Makarov's health problems, which put her on edge. Jellal took the fragile man in his arms, taking him into the guildhall's infirmary.
Mirajane followed shortly after, having a hunch about the health condition. "I'll go get his medicine."
Outside of the guildhall onto the balcony, Bisca aimed her sniper at the nearest lacrima, pulling the trigger after waiting for a charge to build up in her sniper. Cana and Levy had suggested the idea, and wondered if striking the lacrimas down would solve the issue. The powerful shot struck the lacrima.
It successfully dissipated, but it came with a heavy price to pay. Juvia and Millianna, startled by the sudden shrill, rushed to Bisca's side and noticed her body was quivering as she lay on the ground.
"Why did the lacrima do that to her?" Juvia asked as she hauled the Requip Mage onto her back. Millianna assisted her, waiting for Cana to come to a conclusion.
She shook her head, unable to deduce the problem.
Jellal emerged from the guildhall and studied the effects himself, having been informed about the lacrima's effects. "Organic Link Magic, that's what Laxus used to ensure they couldn't be destroyed. The amount of power put into the attack will strike the person with an equal power."
Cana grit her teeth, "That jerk!"
Juvia observed the range of Thunder Palace. "There must be some way around the lacrimas. Perhaps they have a weak point."
"Organic Link Magic is a difficult process to undo. I doubt we will be able to go around it. Unless...
"I need to find Erza." He jumped off the balcony before taking off with his magic, remaining high enough so he wouldn't get caught in Freed's enchantments. He had an idea, and only she would be able to test his theory.
The others looked at exchanged confused glances, but proceeded with the original plan for the group of mages fighting against the Thunder Legion. Levy worked away with changing the enchantment.
As she did so, she noticed the Iron Dragon Slayer had succumbed into silence, staring off into a corner. Gajeel's face was blank and unreadable. He seemed keen on contributing to the battle, and Levy smiled.
It seemed Jellal rescuing Gajeel changed him for the greater good. Even if he considered joining this battle as a way to repay the councillor, he was nonetheless a changed man.
At the Kardia Cathedral, Laxus' resentment for the guild only grew after finding out about the outcome of Evergreen's battle. "This is ridiculous! I put my faith in you, and this is how you repay me? I thought you were more powerful than Erza."
Freed's footsteps echoed throughout the colossal building. "You shouldn't underestimate Titania, she's a powerful wizard. It'd been best if Bickslow and I went after her."
Laxus wanted to mock Freed. He didn't think two members of the Thunder Legion needed to go against her.
With his back turned to the wizard, he could still sense his lingering presence. There was uncertainty within their silence. "Why are you still here? Aren't you going to hunt for the other fairies like Bickslow?"
Freed hesitated, "But isn't this fight pointless now? If you activate the Thunder Palace, Magnolia will cease to exist."
"So?" challenged the Dragon Slayer in a threatening tone. "I thought you didn't care about the others. You can leave if you wish to do so, there's no room for weaklings in my Fairy Tail."
Freed sighed, deciding that taking part in the Battle of Fairy Tail and fighting the others until nobody remained would be the solution. "What about Jellal?"
Laxus smirked, "I don't need to worry about him. I know Jellal will come running to me once he sees the Thunder Palace."