Author's Note:
TheSavageMan100 has returned! Yeah, I didn't fulfill my promise that the next chapter won't take long because I'm caught up with work, but it's been one heck of a ride. As promised, this is the third part of the Deep Jungle arc, where Wendy and friends take on one of the Headless Horseman of Sleepy Hollow, Wrecker Xalemon. In addition, there are more scenes from the original movie added for more drama. Thank you, everyone, and I hope it's worth the long wait. Enjoy!


Climbing Trees

Wendy glanced around as she spoke, "Why are they leading us here? We know we've been here before..." Following the information from the three young gorillas regarding the possible location of Terkina's whereabouts, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Tarzan, Carla, Sherria, Alzack, and Bisca had arrived at an area in the treetops, loaded with plant life and an enormous tree trunk in the middle. True to the Sky Maiden's words, this wasn't the first time they came to this place. During the struggle to liberate the gorilla troop from the Heartless, Wendy and her friends climbed the ivy all the way from the hippos' lagoon to the top of the trees. As Alzack and Bisca described, it served as a pathway back to the tree house. This area was one among many in which Wendy and her friends fought a section of the Alliance of Evil's forces, saving another gorilla in turn. But for inexplicable reasons, they were led back here. Whatever the case, another gorilla being in danger was a present matter they could not pass up. Wendy looked over at Tarzan and asked, "Do you think one of your friends is around here?"

Tarzan responded, "Gorillas approached. Terk ran. Near tree house."

Wendy wondered, "Terk? That's the name of your friend?" Tarzan replied was a nod. She then beamed in admiration, "Wow, you have so many friends. It's like you're a part of a big family." A brief pause, and her voice was laced with affection. "Just like me."

Tarzan tilted his head curiously, "Hmm? You have family?"

Wendy smiled, "Uh-huh. My family lives somewhere far away from here. Everyone is very kind and caring. If it wasn't for my family, I never would've found my place in the world. They made me who I am today." She added eagerly, "The gorillas must've been kind and caring to you, too. You know, since you've been raised?"

Tarzan smiled back, "Yes, gorillas are family. Very kind, like you." As soon as he said that, his smile faded. "But... not everyone."

Wendy asked, "It's Kerchak, isn't it?"

Goofy guessed, "Ya mean that big ol' gorilla with the scary look?"

Tarzan admitted with a sigh, "Kerchak."

Donald confirmed, "Well, we're lucky he isn't around, or he'd flatten us like pancakes."

Carla pointed out, "Before they left, the three gorillas informed us that one of them was hidden somewhere near the tree house."

Alzack stated, "Our best bet is this place, since it takes us back to the old lodge."

Bisca grinned, "Findin' a missin' gorilla in the middle of the treetops? That's a cinch."

Just then, a loud screech pierced the air, its frantic tone resonating throughout the dome of green. The noise compelled Wendy and company to turn to the source, and it came from a large branch of the tree trunk. There, a young female gorilla was imprisoned in a web of vines, screeching for help while struggling to free herself. She tugged on the vines as hard as she could, but the green rope expertly bounced back, as if empowered by an invisible force. Considering her attempts to tear the vines were futile at best, the gorilla's second option was to scream for someone, anyone, to break her out. As she looked around for whoever received her message, her eyes widened upon seeing a familiar ape man accompanied by unfamiliar allies. "Tarzan!" she screamed.

Tarzan was surprised to see his best friend in such turmoil. "Terk!"

Sherria gasped, pointing a finger at the creature trapped in the vine cage. "Hey! It's the adorable little gorilla from before! Fancy running into her again!"

Wendy followed the direction of the Sky God Slayer's finger, and gasped as well. "She's trapped in those vines!"

Carla confirmed, "I suppose the information proved accurate after all."

Driven by desperation to release his friend from captivity, Tarzan raced for the cage with his spear in tow. He called out in ape language, "Hang on, Terk! I'm coming!"

Wendy urgently stretched out her hand, "Tarzan, wait!"

Carla added to the warning, "It could be a trap!"

Their pleas fell on deaf ears, however, as Tarzan hopped and landed on the branch. He swung his spear directly at the center of the cage. When the sharp spike connected, a spasm of dark energy suddenly popped, knocking him backwards. He slightly recovered and tried again, but to no avail. The vines proved to be a virtually impenetrable barrier, easily shrugging off Tarzan's attacks. Finally, the ape man grew fatigued and rested a knee on the leaves, much to the dismay of everyone.

Terk yelled, "Tarzan, buddy! You can't give up! Don't you give up on me! Ya gotta do somethin'!"

Tarzan wheezed, "I'm... trying..."

Donald sighed, "Well, it was worth a shot."

Bisca snapped her fingers, "Dang, we gotta figure out some way to break whatever magic's surroundin' those vines."

All of a sudden, a swarm of Powerwilds invaded the treetops. Terk's agitation grew at the sight of them. "What the heck are those things?!"

Tarzan told his captive gorilla friend, "Leave this one to me!"

Terk complied reluctantly, "Well, okay. I guess it's up to you to save the day, as usual." She then hooted in encouragement, "Go knock 'em dead!"

As soon as Tarzan joined the rest of the group, Alzack called out, "Let's figure out a way to save the gorilla after we beat those guys!"

Wendy agreed, "Yeah!"

Sherria determined, "Let's do it! For the cutie!"

Wendy and company drew their respective weapons and magic, preparing to fight. The Powerwilds made their move, compelled by the order to prevent their prisoner from being rescued. Fast and swift the Powerwilds may be, they were easily overpowered by the heroes' combined teamwork. They began cutting down the Heartless, and it seemed as though victory was at hand. However, for every Powerwild they destroyed, two more seemed to take its place. For two, there were four. For three, there were six. For five, there were ten. Finally, Wendy and her friend were nearly pushed to the brink of exhaustion.

"They just keep coming!" Alzack growled, kicking a Powerwild aside. "How many have we taken out?"

"Can't tell the numbers," Bisca gritted her teeth, shooting down another one. "But it's a whole lot!"

"Aw, phooey!" Donald complained, casting a Thunder spell against a Heartless. "Why can't they just go away?"

"Gawrsh, there's gotta be a way to get 'em off our backs!" Goofy cried, holding off the Powerwilds' claws with his shield. "But how are we gonna do that?"

"I think they're attracted to something," Sherria guessed, using her God Slayer Magic-fueled hands to restrain the arms of two Powerwilds. She began looking around for a source behind the Heartless' incessant swarming, until she noticed a large black fruit attached to the tree trunk. "Hmm... That big black fruit looks suspicious. The color looks similar to the energy the vines give off. Where have I seen that?" After much deliberation, Sherria conjured up a solution, releasing the two Powerwilds from her grip and shoving them aside as she figured it out. "I got it! Wendy!"

"Sherria?" Wendy responded to Sherria's call while dispatching a Powerwild with a 5-hit combo. "What's the matter?"

"See that black fruit over there?" Sherria pointed up at the fruit. "It's gotta be the power source! It's the same color as the vines' magic! If we can destroy it..."

"Only one way to find out! I gotta make a jump for it!" Wendy determined. "Carla, give me a boost!"

"Right!" In one swift motion, Carla grabbed Wendy and whisked her up in the air with her wings.

"Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy breathed a mighty gust of wind that headed for the black fruit. With a loud BANG, the fruit dissolved into black dust. As Wendy and Carla landed, they noticed the seemingly infinite number of Powerwilds beginning to dwindle. "Alright, I think that did the trick!" the Sky Maiden cheered. "Now's our chance!" The heroes eventually destroyed the last of the Heartless, and in the process, the vines making up Terk's cage disappeared, setting her free. Wendy wiped a few beads of sweat from her forehead, relieved that the Heartless were nowhere to be seen. "Phew, that's all of them!" She turned to Sherria with an appreciative look, "Thanks, Sherria."

"You know the old saying," Sherria grinned. "Where there's a will, there's a way."

"Hey, what's goin' on?" Bisca wondered. "One minute we were fightin' monkeys, the next they disappeared."

"There was a big black fruit on the trunk," Wendy explained. "Sherria thought that's what drew the Heartless over here, so I destroyed it."

"Let me get this straight," Donald clarified. "You took out whatever thing is drawing them here?"

"Yeah," Wendy nodded. "Carla and Sherria helped."

"Nice one, kid!" Alzack admired. "You saved our skins again."

"Of course!" Wendy smiled. "Just say the word and I'm here to help."

"That's how you Fairy Tail guys handle things, huh?" Goofy asked.

"You know it," Wendy nodded.

"Let's check out that sweet little gorilla," Sherria offered. "We gotta make sure she's okay."

"There is no need," Carla assured. "She's coming this way."

Terk leapt down from the branch and raced her way to Tarzan, grinning at him. "That was amazing, Tarzan! You totally squared those freaks, with the help of those..." As she eyed the ape man's companions, her voice was tinged with insecurity. "...bald look-a-likes." Despite lingering issues for Tarzan's interaction with the humans, she regained a bit of confidence. "Anyway, thanks a bundle."

Tarzan replied, "It's the least I can do. By the way, what got you here all of a sudden?"

Terk explained, "Well, I was having a good ol' time with Flynt and Mungo, when suddenly, the tall guys we saw at the tree house came outta nowhere, and..." Her voice trailed off, and she couldn't find other words to say.

Tarzan prompted her, "And...?"

Terk sighed, "That's the last thing I remember. The next minute, I was trapped like a fly in a web. I tried to bust outta here, but the vines were too strong. I called for help, but no one answered. Well, at least until you and your..." She cleared her throat, before she continued, "...new friends came along."

Donald called out, "Did you get anything?"

Tarzan turned around and gave a detailed explanation in English, "Enemies approached. Terk trapped."

At that moment, Terk's eyes widened upon seeing the same creature she encountered back at the bamboo thicket. "Hey, look! It's the white-feathered guy!" She approached Donald with a wide smile, communicating with him in calm hoots. "How you doin', Mr. Feather Guy?"

Donald was confused for a moment. "Uhh, why is she looking at me?"

Tarzan responded with a chuckle, "Terk likes you."

Curious of Donald's features, Terk outstretched her index finger and tapped the feathers making up the outline of his body. She even stroked some of the feathers, before she decided to caress them. Donald flinched, "Okay, this is getting weird."

Sheeria cooed, "Aww, the cute little monkey... She's warming up to you!"

Carla said in amusement, "You certainly have a way with animals."

Donald glared, "Hey, I'm not a petting zoo! I have standards, you know!"

Bisca chuckled, "Personal boundaries, huh? You're soundin' just like Jane."

Donald stammered, "N-No! I'm nothing like Jane!"

Sherria said enthusiastically, "Didn't you see? She wants to be your friend! It's a sign of newfound affection! Of love!"

Donald was speechless. "B-But I... I..." He felt something touching his shoulders, and his eyes popped when he turned around to see Terk behind him, trying to pick lice out of his exposed feathered head after pushing his hat aside. True to Sherria's words, this was a sign of friendship from Donald's new grooming buddy, and it only added to his embarrassment. "Why did it have to be me...?" The rest of the group couldn't help but laugh at Donald's expense.

During the grooming session, another series of hoots filled the air. Wendy and company turned to see two more gorillas emerging from a hole underneath the branch of the tree trunk, climbing the ivy. Upon arrival, they charged and crushed Terk in a group hug, effectively ending her time with Donald. Terk laughed, "Flynt! Mungo! Nice of you to drop in!"

With a groan, Donald ruffled his head and placed his hat back on. "Remind me to brush my feathers when we get back."

The thin gorilla known as Flynt cheered, "There you are, Terk! We've been looking all over for you! It ain't fun without you around."

The obese gorilla named Mungo smiled, "Hey, Terk, you missed it! There's been a lotta action around here lately. There's the blue monkeys, and Tarzan's hairless wonder pals—"

Terk snorted, "Huh? Ya mean his new buddies? Hey, lemme set the record straight; those bald ingrates are lousy good for nothings!" Flynt and Mungo heaved a sigh at this. To most gorillas in the troop, Tarzan's new friends weren't so bad, and they meant no harm. They may be different from gorillas, but they were generous enough to liberate them from the evil creatures that attacked them. "They're always taking work away from good animals. They're the reason Tarzan spends less time with us. They're a bunch of jerks!" She then let out a light-hearted chuckle as she pointed a thumb at Donald, "Well, except for the feathered guy. I think he's kinda cute."

Flynt snickered, "Yeah, me too. He's so small, fat, and chunky."

Mungo wondered, "What kind of animal is he? Some kinda peacock?"

Terk cocked an eyebrow, "I doubt he's a peacock. He looks nothing like it."

Sherria sighed happily, stretching her arms above her head. "Well, all the gorillas are safe and sound. Best of all, this cute and cuddly one. Should we tell Jane and the professor? It's gonna be a long story when we get back to camp."

Wendy stated, "You know, ever since we've rescued so many gorillas, they've come to like us. They even gave us gummi blocks to thank us. Who knows? Maybe Kerchak will warm up to us, too."

Carla confirmed, "The success of the Porters' expedition may be just around the corner. They might come into good terms with the gorillas."

Sherria asked, "So, back to camp, then?"

Wendy nodded, "Yeah. Let's go back." She looked over to Tarzan, "You coming, Tarzan? Jane's waiting for us."

Tarzan's face was crossed with affection upon hearing the name of the beautiful woman who taught him the English language. He then snapped back to reality, before he complied, "I'm coming."

Flynt asked, "Hey, Terk! Wanna play a game at the waterfalls?"

Mungo guffawed, "Last one there's a dung beetle!"

Terk laughed, "Yeah, the first one's gotta eat it!" She turned to Tarzan, "Tarzan, wanna come?"

Tarzan shook his head, "Sorry, Terk. I have to go."

Terk complained, "You're hangin' out with them AGAIN?! When are you gonna hang out with us, huh?"

Tarzan laughed apologetically, "Maybe some other time." As he turned to face Wendy and the others heading for the exit, he spotted a small garden of flowers in full bloom thanks to the sunlight flowing into the canopy. In an instant, his mind raced back to the campsite, recalling a memory before the adventure started; the slide of a classy man extending a bouquet of flowers to an equally classy woman. The sight of those flowers gave Tarzan a bright idea on what to do with them. He quickly grabbed a few from blue to orange, and topped it off with purple violets, creating an exact replica of the bouquet. He then flew off, following his comrades down to the bottom of the trees, while Terk, Flynt, and Mungo watched on.

Flynt commented, "Whoa, look at him go."

Mungo grinned, "I've never seen him so happy."

Terk crossed her arms with a scowl, "Eh, I'd give it a week." She seemed to be the only gorilla in the troop feeling left out and a little jealous. Ever since Tarzan began hanging out with the humans, they've been seeing each other less and less each day.


Camp

By the time Wendy and her friends managed to reach the campsite, they were already too late. All around them, they saw countless men tearing down the tents and packing countless equipment in a rush, with some of them carrying boxes. Almost every piece of furniture had been tied in ropes to form stacks, including the chemistry set, though some of the tools were shattered into shards of glass. Each of the men were dressed in standard day-to-day attire, and the one thing linking them together was their objective to lift the cargo towards the coast, where there stood a colossal steel ship not far off in the sea, confirming the men's presence as sailors. Their yells and hollers blended with the loud whistle of the mighty behemoth floating in the endless river of blue. Wendy and company never expected a sudden exodus of supplies to occur during the Porters' expedition. Tarzan was the most confused; the campsite used to be a blissful, wondrous playground where he could spend time with Jane... but now it had been reduced to a pile by men he hadn't met before.

"Hey, what gives?" Sherria questioned. "What's with those sailors, and why are they tearing down the camp?"

"They must've traveled all the way from their homeland to pick up Jane and Professor Porter," Carla rubbed her chin. "This could only mean one thing." She added with uncertainty in her words, "Their time in the jungle has expired."

"The expedition's over?" Wendy gasped in horror. "No! It can't be over! Not now!"

"Hey, what's the matter, kid?" Bisca grew concerned. "You look nervous."

"We're supposed to help Jane and her father see the gorillas! We promised we would!" Wendy protested. "They've worked so hard to study about the gorillas, even tried to make friends with them. They were so happy. But now they're going home? They can't! Not yet!"

"I'm afraid there's nothing we can do to change that," Carla sighed, trying to be as comforting to Wendy as possible. "An expedition cannot last forever. Jane and her father were only given limited time to carry it out until the ship comes to take them home."

"Take them home?" Donald wondered. "You mean there's a town far away from this jungle, all the way across the sea?"

"Gawrsh, I thought this world's all jungle-like," Goofy scratched his head. "We saw what it looked like before we landed. It's only filled with trees and green stuff."

"Or so it was believed," Carla folded her arms. "Ironic, isn't it? Though the structure of this world resembles a jungle, there is actually another land hidden within the atmosphere. I suppose there is more to other worlds than meets the eye."

"A lot of mysteries means a lot of adventure. That's the Fairy Tail way," Bisca smiled, before her face turned serious. "Anyway, where's Asuka? Isn't she with Jane?"

"She's never left Jane's side," Alzack responded. "I'm positive she's fine, but seeing the way things are going now..."

"The campsite used to be a lively place while it lasted," Bisca mused. "A shame the expedition's goin' down the drain. It happened so fast."

"Jane..." Tarzan muttered the young woman's name, concerned for her whereabouts. The bouquet was gripped firmly in his hand.

"Guys, can't we do something about this?" Wendy pleaded. "They're leaving the jungle. They'll be so upset."

"They have no choice in the matter," Carla shook her head. "If the boat fails to pick Jane and her father up, it'll reflect badly on them, especially the crew."

"Fine then, let it reflect on them!" Wendy cried angrily. "We made a promise to Jane and her father. I don't want to break that promise. Just when we're about to take them to the gorillas when they've become so nice to us..."

"Well, we earned their respect for saving them," Alzack recalled. "I think it'll go smoothly, so I'm with you on this one."

"Me too, kid," Bisca nodded. "Fairy Tail wizards aren't the kind of people who'd break promises with friends. The boat comin' to pick 'em up stinks of a getaway."

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Connell," Wendy smiled warmly. "You truly support me."

"No, wait! Stop! Don't take those away!" The group suddenly heard Professor Porter yelling. They turned to see the old explorer trying to stop the sailors from taking away his belongings. He was accompanied by Asuka, who tried her best to help secure what remained of the campsite. "I've waited thirty years for this, and I won't leave until I see a gorilla!"

"Give those back, you meanie!" Asuka shouted at the sailors, who didn't bother to listen to her futile pleas. "And I want those books, too! Jack and Jill is my most favorite!"

With a heavy sigh, Porter turned to see Wendy and her friends. "Ah, my friends from other worlds! I'm afraid I have terrible news. The boat has already arrived to take us home to the mainland. Isn't this dreadful?" Before anyone could answer, his shirt was hung by a pole attached to one of the stacks carried by the busy men, pushing him away.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Asuka beamed upon seeing her parents. She ran to them, the two kneeling down with Alzack taking his daughter's hands. "They're taking away our stuff!"

"Technically, it's their stuff," Alzack corrected. "We borrowed some of it."

"Sorry, sweetie," Bisca apologized. "Feelin' upset?"

"Uh-huh," Asuka nodded weakly. "Very upset."

"Poor Asuka..." Wendy muttered. "She and Jane were such good friends. I feel bad for her."

"On the bright side, she still has some company," Donald affirmed. "Y'know, Alzack and Bisca?"

"But Jane cares for Asuka much like her parents did," Goofy pointed out. "The little gal's gettin' along fine with her."

"Hey, don't blame it on Jane," Donald shrugged. "Blame it on those guys."

"They can't leave now!" Wendy insisted. "They just need a little more time! We gotta talk to the sailors!"

"But where is Jane?" Carla asked. "Is she also attempting to protest on the expedition's behalf?"

The white Exceed spoke too soon. At the heart of the dismantled camp, the group discovered Jane having a heated conversation with the ship's captain. She was supported by Clayton, the hunter who mysteriously disappeared before the battle against the Heartless and the dark guilds began, and then reappeared to register his own complaints.

"There she is!" Sherria beamed. "And Clayton's with her, too."

"It's about time he shows up," Donald confirmed. "After working our butts off, he magically appears in the camp."

"Fellas, they're talkin' to the captain," Goofy pointed out. "Maybe they're tryin' to get him to let 'em stay."

"I hope so," Wendy hoped to herself. "Let's hear it."

"Jane..." Tarzan repeated her name. His opportunity was at hand.

As Wendy and company approached, they listened to the explorers' desperate attempt at convincing the captain to let them carry out the expedition for a little while longer. Clayton persuaded, "You're the captain! Just tell them you had engine trouble, and give us two more days."

The captain retorted angrily, "That is out of the question! We'll be late at every port from here to the mainland!"

Jane protested, "We'll have come all this way for nothing!"

The captain firmly stood his ground, "I'm sorry, Miss Porter, but I simply can't do it." He then left to continue overseeing the downing of the camp.

Wendy sighed hopelessly, "This is not working. How are we supposed to help now?"

Hearing the Sky Maiden's voice, Jane turned to see the entourage. She said, "Oh, Wendy! Mr. and Mrs. Connell! I was so afraid that you all wouldn't come in time. As you are well aware, the boat's arrived to come and take us home."

Wendy nodded, "We know. We saw the ship." Her face turned downwards, and grief filled her words. "I'm sorry, Jane. I thought we could help you, but..."

Jane admitted with a sigh, "I know, Wendy. You all meant well. You really do. I thought we could do it together, but time has actually caught up with us. If only we'd been a little faster..." She mustered up one last phrase tinged with her regret. "I'm so sorry."

A frustrated groan escaped Clayton's mouth. He knew his plans had been affected gravely, and he had to find someone to dump his anger on. "You should be sorry, Miss Porter. This entire mess is your fault!"

Wendy exclaimed, "Her fault?! What did she ever do to you?"

Alzack asked, "And where have you been? We've been looking all over for you."

Clayton quipped, "Whatever do you mean, Mr. Connell? I've been in the camp all the while."

Bisca questioned, "Then what about the shootin' outside? Care to explain that?"

Ever the sneaky and deceptive one, Clayton made another excuse to cover his tracks. "Two snakes slithered by while I was taking the fresh air. I had to defend myself."

Carla raised an eyebrow, "Snakes? Are you sure?"

Clayton defended his actions, "Of course I'm sure. But I think we're getting off the subject."

Wendy asked, "Why do you blame Jane for what's going on around here?"

Clayton growled, "I thought it was obvious, Miss Marvell. It's because of you! You are the reason we're in this mess! If Jane hadn't wasted all this time teaching this wild man or interacting with you otherworldly juveniles, we would have found at least one gorilla!"

Wendy grew angry at the veteran hunter's accusations. "Leave her alone! She was doing her best! She's worked so hard, and we helped her see it through!"

Clayton scowled, "And yet she didn't finish the job. You've constantly delayed us ever since you arrived here. If I had the chance, I would've set traps for the beasts."

Carla pointed out in disgust, "You sound like you want to hunt gorillas. What a dreadful thought, Mr. Clayton."

Wendy argued, "You can't do that! You'll scare them away, even hurt them!"

Clayton said casually, "An unfortunate side effect, yes... But I wouldn't have resorted to such drastic measures if you had the common sense to stay out of our affairs. Thanks to you, the situation is more dire than ever."

Donald frowned, "Gee, thanks for reminding us, Captain Obvious."

Goofy reasoned, "But we're not like that. We just wanna help you guys."

Clayton retorted, "Bah! If would've been better if you weren't in the way."

Jane became tense and irritated. She packed the last of her clothes in her suitcase and closed it up, not taking Clayton's accusations lightly. "Oh, stop it, Mr. Clayton! Wendy and her friends came to us because they needed help! My father and I trusted them, and they trusted us. They aided us, and so we aided them. Do you think I'm disappointed just because they delayed us from seeing the gorillas? You are absolutely impossi—" She didn't finish her sentence, as she suddenly bumped into Tarzan, accidentally destroying his bouquet. Luckily, he was left with two small violets standing. They were both startled by the bump, but Jane sighed in relief on seeing him. "Oh, Tarzan! I almost forgot about you."

Donald wondered, "What's with the flowers in his hand?"

Sherria held up her hand to interrupt. "Wait, don't tell me. They're meant for Jane, aren't they?"

Goofy nodded, "Yup, looks that way. But how come they're all messed up?"

Sherria shook her head, "Who cares? He's giving them to Jane!" She then squealed excitedly, "I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! They're destined to be together! They're destined for love!"

Carla stated, "Well, they have grown very close over the course of the expedition. Now that Jane is leaving, how will Tarzan react?"

Wendy said anxiously, "That's what I'm worried about, too."

Sherria suggested, "Let's see how it plays out."

Meanwhile, Jane was speaking with Tarzan. Perhaps before departing for the mainland, she could at least share one last conversation with the wild man she befriended and tutored. She spoke, "You see, the boat will take us home to the mainland. Daddy and I were wondering..." Jane trailed off for a moment, becoming sheepish as her cheeks turned red. The Sky God Slayer snickered at this display. "Well, I was wondering if you'd come with us. Won't you?"

Sherria nodded happily, "Yeah, Tarzan. Just imagine it. You and Jane—"

Wendy placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, cutting her off. She whispered, "Sherria, Tarzan might..."

Tarzan took time to consider Jane's offer. If he accepted, he would be leaving the jungle behind for a new life in the civilized world. He didn't mind visiting another place, even though it sounded a bit of a stretch, but he couldn't find it in his heart to abandon his gorilla family. With that thought, he made a different offer of compromising with Jane so that he would never leave his home forever. He said, "Go see mainland today, come home tomorrow."

But as much as Tarzan wanted to have her stay, Jane knew she had a life to return to back in the mainland, and was now becoming torn. She replied hesitantly, "Oh, no. You see, it would be very difficult to come back..." She paused to let it sink in, "...ever."

Awkward silence filled the campsite, as the bitter truth could be felt gushing from one side to the other. Even Sherria, who was enthusiastic of the blossoming relationship between Tarzan and Jane, was at a loss for words. Her smile faded, her chest rising with the sadness Jane's words were filled with. Finally, Tarzan spoke his reaction, his eyes widening a bit. "Not come back?"

Sherria gasped, "So that's how it is... If he goes with Jane, he'll leave the jungle forever. His cute and cuddly family of apes, all his friends..."

Wendy stated, "He doesn't want to leave them. He'll miss them so much. But Jane..."

Jane tried her best to hide her emotions. "Tarzan, I know it sounds awful, but you belong with us. With people."

In another attempt to persuade Jane, Tarzan sat with one knee and offered the violets, imitating the classy man in the slide. "Jane must stay with Tarzan."

"Stay here...?" Jane stuttered, until she accidentally dropped her suitcase, letting most of her clothes out. "Oh, my laundry!" As she picked them up from the ground, a whirlpool of emotions swirled inside her, and her voice was laced with anguish. "No, I can't stay... Look, I've got... I'm with my father... and..."

"Jane..." Tarzan was now getting desperate. He gently took her hand, trying to console her. "Stay."

"But—"

"Please."

The choice was too difficult for Jane to make. Her heart urged her to stay with the ape man, but her mind suggested otherwise. "But..." Her eyes began to form tears. "I can't." She stood up and ran off, crying.

"Jane, wait!" Wendy reached out. "Come back!"

"Leave her be," Carla held her back. "Give her time to think."

Tarzan's heart dropped as he watched her leave. He did not have the luxury to depart from his jungle life, but he didn't want to lose Jane either. Looking around at the remains of the campsite, he remembered how Jane would often sit in the tent, giving him a chance to learn the English language and how the human world works. The more he visited that familiar campsite, the better he came to understand about himself and his talents. But the best part of it all was Jane; he grew attracted to her not just for her intelligence, but for her beautiful looks and kind personality. Every time Tarzan saw her face, he was taken to a new world beyond the wild. He would visit her every day, and learn something new along the way.

But those days came to an end. The expedition was over, and Jane and her father were going home. The news of the exodus from the jungle made Tarzan felt like he lost a part of himself. Wendy and the others watched with sympathetic expressions. Donald was the first to break the trance, "If he likes Jane so much, why won't he go with her? Isn't he happy about it?"

"I don't think so," Wendy shook her head. "He's already a part of a world. He has friends and a family who considered him one of their own, no matter what he looks like. And he doesn't want to leave it all behind."

"But the problem is, he wants Jane to stay with him," Sherria pointed out. "Can't you see the look on his face? He's falling for her! I think she feels the same way, too. I can see it in her eyes. They're drawn together by love."

"Can't we do somethin'?" Goofy asked. "He looks awful sad."

"He is conflicted between living in one world over the other," Carla stated. "This is a choice he has to make on his own. It's best if we don't interfere."

"Tarzan..." Wendy muttered.

"Let him decide," Alzack suggested. "He has to think of what's best for everyone."

"Caught between a rock and a hard place," Bisca sighed. "Life's full of hard choices."

"I know what it feels like," Wendy whispered, as she placed a hand over her heart. "To be attached to someone you love and never letting go, no matter what... True friends stay together, and they never leave each other's side. It's all so familiar." Her thoughts drifted back to past memories of Fairy Tail, when the guild's wizards went through great lengths to protect their comrades from unspeakable terrors, even when times were tough. Among those memories, there was one in particular she remembered very strongly. "Carla..." It was the Tartaros incident, when Carla initiated the self-destruct sequence of the Face weapon the dark guild stole from the Magic Council. She implored Wendy to save herself from the explosion, but she declined, preferring to stay with her beloved Exceed companion to the very end. The two would've faced certain death together if Mest Gryder hadn't saved them in time. When she looked at Carla, Wendy was taken back to a sacrifice that would've been made, but bested by a miracle. It was nostalgic how a friend could risk everything to save another in the face of obscurity. But the hardest part was making a difficult choice, whether to abandon a friend and be free of the burden, or stay with a friend and confront sorrow head-on.

"How typical." Clayton's voice snapped Wendy out of her trip to memory lane. She and her friends turned to the veteran hunter, who had watched everything that transpired. He grabbed a bottle of wine from a box and poured the liquid into a glass to serve himself. "You and your friends are truly an inspiration, Miss Marvell. One moment you're happy, and the next you're depressed."

Alzack commented, "You're one to talk, seeing how you don't show a single shred of sympathy."

Clayton chuckled, "Oh, but I do, Mr. Connell. I know what it's like to be attached to someone you have the slightest interest in. The seed grows into a plant, and you became entranced by its delectable aroma." He rested his hand on Tarzan's shoulder, "Even if you hadn't grown up a stranger in a different world, you'd be lost. There are no trails through the heart of a troubled soul..." He paused for his message to take effect, "...even a woman's."

The harsh truth was beginning to seep into Tarzan's mind. He muttered softly, "Jane is going."

Clayton sighed, "Yes. Tragic, isn't it? If only she could've spent more time with the gorillas. She's so disappointed. Crushed, really." His words were laced with disappointment, but in reality, he was secretly trying to manipulate the saddened ape man. After drinking his glass, he turned to Wendy and company. "I'm sorry, dear friends. And I meant no offense when I said you delayed us from seeing the gorillas. You did the best you could."

Bisca rolled her eyes, "Sure you did. All you've been doin' is shootin' away at nothin', scaring away any animal on sight."

Carla crossed her arms, "We appreciate your concern, Mr. Clayton. But we can take care of ourselves."

Clayton nodded, "I understand. I'll be going, then. It's been nice knowing you and your magical little band. I'd best get Jane's things to the ship." After putting away the empty glass, he picked up Jane's suitcase and walked away.

For a moment, Tarzan began to think about Jane, knowing she seemed so distant and empty. Taking Clayton's suggestion to mind, he realized that the one thing that could make her happy was to let her see the gorillas. But doing so would mix together a spiral of suspicion from Kerchak, even enrage him. Still, he just couldn't bare to part with Jane, especially with how he felt for her. He realized what he had to do to make her stay. "Clayton!"

The hunter paused. A sinister grin crept his lips. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for.

"If Jane sees gorillas..." Tarzan asked, brimming with hope. "She stays?"

"Say, that's why she came, isn't it?" Clayton turned back, smirking lightly.

Tarzan lowered his head, releasing a long breath as he reached a decision. Appeasing Jane was all that mattered to him. "I'll do it."

"Huh?! You're gonna..." Wendy gasped in surprise.

"...take Jane..." Donald added.

"...to see..." Carla added.

"...the gorillas?!" Goofy finished.

"No way!" Sherria exclaimed.

"This is so wrong!" Alzack argued.

"Very wrong!" Bisca agreed.

"Huh?" Asuka wondered.

"Excellent!" Clayton beamed, giving a friendly pat to Tarzan's back. "I knew you'd make the right choice!" He then looked over to one of the sailors, "Snipes?"

"Sir?" the thin sailor with a brown moustache responded, a barrel fastened in his arm.

"Inform Wrecker and get the boys together," Clayton ordered. "There's going to be a change in plans." The sailor's only reply was a smirk, as he understood what the boss meant. With that, the man left.

"Wait a minute!" Bisca's eyes widened in surprise. "Did he just say Wrecker?"

"I hear you, Bisca," Alzack responded to his wife's reaction. "The name 'Wrecker' rings familiar. He's one of the Sleepy Hollow wizards we fought at the guild."

"Is it possible he's workin' with you-know-what?" Bisca wondered. "That's he's one of 'em?"

"I'm worried he might be," Alzack replied. "If he's a double-agent for the dark guilds, trouble can't be far behind."

"Either way, we gotta keep a close eye," Bisca suggested. "See what kinda dirty trick he has up his sleeve."

"Yeah," Alzack agreed. "He may be hiding something from us. We have to stay on our toes."

"I'll go and tell the Porters the good news," Clayton offered. "We'll see if the captain can give us enough time. As soon as we're prepared, we'll leave at once. I'll come along."

"And do another shootout?" Bisca scoffed, before shaking her head. "I don't think so."

"I'm afraid I must insist," Clayton grinned. "I've been hired to protect the Porters, and protect them I shall. We all agreed that we will see the gorillas together. You'll need someone to ensure a wild beast doesn't tear your head off. And that someone is me."

A glare of mistrust was the Connells' only response. Alzack broke the ice, "Whatever. But you will follow our lead."

Bisca warned, "We're keepin' our eye on you. Don't try anythin' funny."

Clayton nodded, "You have my word." Unbeknownst to all, the tone of his voice had a hint of biting sarcasm.

Ten minutes later...

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Sherria screamed in shock, the loudness in her voice pushing against Tarzan's face. He took all of this patiently, flinching only at the volume. Sherria and Wendy were the only ones conversing with Tarzan, since the others left to rally Jane and Professor Porter for one last exploration. "You're taking Jane and her dad to the nesting ground?!"

"Yes," Tarzan said calmly. "Jane needs to see gorillas."

"But the huge gorilla! Their boss!" Sherria grew desperate. "He's still out there!"

"With Kerchak around, it's hard to get Jane there," Wendy stated. "We can't get closer to the gorillas without him finding out."

"No..." Tarzan shook his head, his face beaming with confidence. "He won't."

Wendy and Sherria gasped when they heard this. Those words could only mean that Tarzan had a plan...


Climbing Trees

"So lemme get this straight," Terk was dismayed when Tarzan explained to her the details of his plan. "You want me to get Kerchak outta the way?"

"That's right," Tarzan nodded happily. "Just lead him away from the nesting ground for a while. It'll be easy!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Not so fast!" Terk snapped, waving her hands defensively. "I don't know what's going on in that thick skull of yours..." She poked Tarzan's head for emphasis, "...but count me out." She then turned away, grumbling to herself as she walked off. "Can you believe that guy? He drops us like a newborn giraffe, then he waltzes in here and expects me to—"

Tarzan stood in front of Terk, showing her a pleading yet hopeful look. "Terk, I'm asking you as a friend. That's what we are, right?"

"Ugghhh! No! Ohhhh!" Terk cringed at seeing a cute face that was impossible to ignore, trying her best not to be won over. "With the face and the eyes and the— AAARGGH!" With a frustrated groan, she was forced to surrender to Tarzan's pleas. "Alright, I'll help you! But don't make me do anything embarrassing."

A few minutes later...

As the roar of a silverback gorilla rumbled, a frightened Terk knew she had no choice but to put the plan into action. When Kerchak emerged from the bushes, he saw the young gorilla running in the bushes, wearing a yellow dress. Mistaking her for a human, he chased after her. The yellow dress Terk was wearing actually belonged to Jane; it was a fancy, well-groomed outfit she wore the first time she arrived at the Deep Jungle. Secretly stolen from Jane's laundry during the campsite's demolition, this was an elaborate disguise set up by Tarzan to lure the boss of the gorilla troop away, thinking that the humans had discovered them. So far, the plan was a success, but at the same time, it was irritating for Terk. "HOW DOES SHE MOVE IN THIS THING?!" she yelled hysterically, as she ran deep into the jungle, leading Kerchak away from the nesting ground.


Nesting Ground

Upon hearing the news that Clayton had finally convinced the captain to let them resume the expedition- on the condition that they would stay an extra day- Jane and Professor Porter were led by Tarzan, Wendy, and the rest of their friends to the gorillas' nesting ground, located about two miles from the campsite and near the hippos' lagoon. Climbing into the nest, the Porters were excited to finally see what they traveled so far to accomplish. Seeing the content looks on their faces brought joy to Wendy's heart. But for Clayton, this was the perfect plan to exploit the gorilla troop to the utmost. With the hunter's dark schemes dangerously close to being exposed, Alzack and Bisca took it upon themselves to keep him in check. So far, no action was taken.

Meanwhile, Kala was alone, picking up some flowers peacefully. She heard rustling and turned to see Tarzan arriving. Delighted that her son had returned to the safety of the nesting ground, she walked towards him. However, when she came closer, Kala froze upon seeing a disturbing sight; Tarzan had been accompanied by eight humans, a duck, a dog, and an Exceed, with a human girl almost his size brought next to him. Kala became nervous and frightened of the strangers' intentions for invading her privacy, and deigned to take a step back as a precaution.

The group's only response upon seeing the focal point of the expedition was that of wonder and amazement. To Jane, it felt like she was visiting a family friend or someone she knew as she had that sense of camaraderie. She called out to her father with a hushed voice, "Look, Daddy!"

"Wh-What...?" Porter gasped happily at the sight of the female gorilla. "Jane...!"

"Nice work, Professor," Alzack smiled. "You and Jane just found a gorilla."

"It's what you've worked so hard to find," Bisca nodded. "Ain't she a beauty?"

"Precisely," Porter agreed. "These creatures are magnificent to behold."

"Wow!" Asuka beamed, trotting along the grass to try and make contact with the gorilla. "Fluffy monkey!"

"Be careful, everyone," Clayton warned the group, before turning to Alzack "I suggest you pull your daughter back, Mr. Connell. She could get hurt."

"What are you talking about?" Alzack raised an eyebrow. "She looks harmless to me."

"Yeah," Bisca chuckled. "She looks adorable as a cuddly teddy bear."

"I was gonna say the same thing," Sherria grinned. "Would you just look at her?" She added with cooing sounds, "Awww... Very cute, just like Donald's new bosom buddy."

"W-What?!" Donald's eyes widened, instantly remembering the grooming session with Terk at the canopy. "She's not my bosom buddy!"

"Don't try to hide it, Donald," Sherria giggled. "She wants to be your friend, and you don't want to admit it."

"Please, stop," Donald groaned. "I don't want Daisy to see me like this."

"Daisy?" Sherria asked curiously. "Who's Daisy?"

"Queen Minnie's lady-in-waiting from the Disney Kingdom," Donald replied. "Just so you know, she's my very special sweetheart."

"You have a GIRLFRIEND?!" Sherria gasped excitedly.

"You got that right," Donald nodded. "Daisy and I are two of a kind. We go out on dates together. Well, most of the time..." He rubbed the back of his head, before he continued, "My heart belongs to her and not some fuzzy animal from the jungle who hugs a lot. If Daisy finds out, she'll think I'm hanging out with some other girl. She'll flip out."

"Hmm... Good point," Sherria confirmed. "If Daisy's your type of girl, I won't argue. You gotta follow your heart and make sure it belongs to the one you love and no one else. This is the power of love." A thought then occurred to her, "Does Daisy count as a bosom buddy, too?"

"Please don't say that," Donald insisted, trying to compress his emotions.

"I'm just asking," Sherria shrugged.

Meanwhile, Clayton observed Asuka's attempt at interacting with Kala. He muttered, "This is ridiculous. Why would anyone want to befriend a beast?"

Carla rolled her eyes, "Oh, get over yourself. Every living creature is born with feelings. Animals are no exception."

Clayton spoke under his breath, "Don't flatter yourself, feline."

Goofy called out, "Alzack, Bisca, look! Your little gal wants to play with that fluffy ol' gorilla."

Bisca chuckled, "Asuka has a way with soft and fuzzy things. Even big ones."

Bisca smiled, "That gorilla looks pretty harmless. I'm sure it's not that bad. Let her have a bit of fun."

"Fluffy monkey... So fluffy..." Asuka cooed, her hand inching close to Kala's fur. In response, she took another step back, much to the girl's confusion. "Huh? Why are you going away, fluffy monkey?" The gorilla wasn't sure on how to respond.

"She's beautiful," Jane commented.

"She's my mother," Tarzan clarified.

The group turned to Tarzan with surprised looks. They were astonished to hear that the gorilla in front of them was Tarzan's adoptive parent. Jane gasped, "What...?"

Goofy asked, "She's your..."

Wendy finished, "Mother?"

Sherria asked, "Does she have a name?"

Tarzan answered, "Kala."

"Kala..." Wendy repeated the word thoughtfully, before her lips formed a smile. "Wow... What a nice name. She looks gentle and kind, just like..." There was no need to mention Grandeeney's name; indeed, her figure bore the same eloquence of the dragon who raised her. Both Wendy and Tarzan were raised by different kinds of animals, and gained exceptional skills thanks to a proper upbringing. She knew they were not so different from each other. Wendy elected to join Asuka by bending down on one knee, trying to communicate with Kala as well. "Hi, Kala. My name is Wendy. It's very nice to meet you."

"Fluffy monkey!" Asuka giggled.

And just like that, the anxiety holding Kala back began to fade. She smiled at the young girls, knowing that by the gentle and curious expressions on their faces, they meant no harm. It was such a coincidence that humans were capable of expressing affection as gorillas do, and that the two species may have much in common. Kala thought to herself, "Maybe they weren't so bad after all..."

However, this encounter was simply a backdrop. More gorillas emerged from the trees, staring at the newcomers with curiosity and intrigue. Jane became enthralled at the sight of the large family of apes surrounding the entourage in a circle. There were gorillas of all shapes and sizes, some of them with their young and their mates looking on with caution. Jane's father dropped his jaw at the sight of these magnificent creatures, before he fainted. Tarzan watched with satisfaction, while Clayton's dark expression festered.

Sherria cheered, "The gang's all here! It's a full house!"

Wendy beamed, "The whole gorilla family in one place! Well, not everyone... Kerchak isn't around, and that's a good thing for us. What an adventure this turned out to be!"

The more the gorillas fixated their eyes on the group, they quickly recognized most of its faces. It was the same party of strangers who accompanied Tarzan and helped stave off the invasion of the Heartless and the dark guilds. Elated of their arrival, the gorillas whooped in respect and admiration for Wendy and company, unbeknownst to Clayton and the Porters.

Jane gasped, "Oh, my! They seem to be in good spirits the moment we arrived here. It's almost as if they're delighted to see us." Just then, she felt something touching her through the folds of her sarong. She looked down to see three baby gorillas crawling over and looking upward. With a smile, Jane bent down to their level and greeted, "Hello!" The first baby gorilla responded by banging its fists against its chest, letting out a courageous high-pitched screech, before it fell backwards in Jane's arms as she chuckled. "It's very nice to meet you, too. I wonder what got them in a jovial mood all of a sudden?"

Wendy felt that it was time to explain their involvement with the gorillas before the ship arrived. Clearing her throat, she began, "This is something we've been meaning to tell you. We—" She was interrupted when several gorillas pounced from the trees and trotted over, compelled by the urge to make the visitors feel comfortable. Scores of apes crawled around each of the groupmates and gifted hospitality in the form of patting or hugging. In the meantime, Wendy felt the tickling force of three gorillas caressing the sensitive parts of her body, probably because they were attracted to her cuteness. She was forced to laugh uncontrollably, "No, wait... Stop! Stop it! That tickles!"

Goofy beamed, "You've got some new friends, Wendy! A-hyuck!"

Sherria encouraged, "Work out that cuteness! Keep 'em coming!"

Carla admitted, "Indeed, her cuteness is impossible for most to ignore."

Wendy protested between giggles as the gorillas kept touching her, "Eek! No, wait... S-Stop... Don't... Don't touch my... I'm really..."

Meanwhile, a dismayed Donald found new bosom buddies in two gorillas ruffling his feathers. "How am I ever going to live this down?"

Bisca remarked, "I guess this is their way of thankin' us for savin' their hides."

Alzack affirmed, "So far, everything's going like clockwork."

Like Wendy, Asuka was tickled by three gorillas, their fingers rubbing along her skin. "Tee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee!"

Flynt and Mungo came across an unconscious Professor Porter. Mungo began sniffing his head, the suction of air into his nostrils tickling the old explorer. "Oh, you're such a tease..." Porter chuckled in his sleep, until Mungo yanked him up from his leg, dropping a few knick-knacks from his pockets as a result. "Oh, hello! Archimedes Q. Porter, at your service." He extended his hand, and Flynt grabbed it. "Ooh! Quite a grip you got." Mungo dropped him, and he and Flynt did the same treatment as the other gorillas did for Wendy and company. "Oh, this is wonderful, Mr. Clayton! Look, look!" Porter gestured to the two gorillas massaging his back. "Social grooming!"

Clayton seemed to be the only one unaffected by the gorillas' grooming, as he was a farther distance away. Not paying attention to the scene, he gave Porter a sarcastic reply, "Congratulations, Professor." He then glanced at a map he held with a smirk growing at his face, before circling the area where the nesting ground was located. "Our dream has come true." The boat was just a short distance away from victory. But before he could proceed, Clayton noticed a gorilla trying to swipe the map out of his hand. "Give me that!" With that distraction, another gorilla took the map while a third stole his pen. Finally, a fourth gorilla snatched Clayton's rifle from above and looked through the hole of the barrel, not knowing how the object worked. "Hey, stop that! Hold on, now! Leave that! That is not to be played with!"

"Aren't you the sweetest things?" Jane giggled as the baby gorillas continued to play with her. The session came to a close when they heard Tarzan's hooting voice, and the kids rushed over and climbed around him in excitement. Jane smiled warmly and inched over, listening to him softly speaking with the baby gorillas in their language.

Wendy joined in, having recovered from a ticklish experience with three apes. She asked, "What do you think, Jane? Are you happy now that you're seeing the gorillas?"

Jane grinned, "We've never been more happier. Without your help, my father and I wouldn't have made it this far. Thank you so much, Wendy. Thank you all."

Wendy smiled, "It's no problem at all. Helping others is what we Fairy Tail wizards do best."

Jane continued, "Which brings me to another curious matter. The way Tarzan communicates with these babies..." She gestured to the ape man playing with the little gorillas, "...it's like he's speaking in a different language. Perhaps if I can..."

Wendy asked, "You're asking Tarzan to teach you to speak gorilla?"

Jane nodded, "Exactly. For such a long time, I've taught him everything I know, and he learned so much. Now it's my turn to learn from him. And who knows? We'll finally understand the meaning of the word he said to you at the tree house, maybe even talk to the gorillas."

Wendy wondered, "Will it work?"

Jane replied, "It's worth a try. If Tarzan can communicate with gorillas, so can we." She turned to Tarzan and cleared her throat, catching his attention. "Tarzan, can you teach me to speak gorilla?"

"Speak gorilla?" Tarzan repeated her question, staring into the eyes of the beautiful creature he fell in love with, as they were about to have a lesson similar to the ones they took a few days earlier.

"Yes," Jane gave the signal to start. Wendy moved closer to listen to the duration of the lesson.

"Ooh-ooh-ee," Tarzan began.

"Ooh-ooh-ee," Jane repeated.

"Eh-ooh," Tarzan continued.

"Eh-ooh," Jane faltered a bit at the end.

"Ooh."

"Ooh."

"Ooh."

"Ooh."

"Ooh..." Tarzan wrapped his fingers around Jane's cheeks, causing her to giggle when she attempted to repeat him.

Jane's face lit up a bit, and she mimicked what Tarzan had taught her. "Ooh-ooh-ee-ah-ooh." Upon saying those words, the baby gorillas whooped happily and assaulted Jane with hugs. Wendy watched the scene unfold with a warm smile. From a distance, Kala shared the Sky Maiden's expression, insinuating that the humans were attempting to befriend her kind. With a playful laugh, Jane rubbed the baby gorillas' heads and held one in her arms. "Good heavens, what did I say?"

In Tarzan's mind, this meant that he was starting to get a lead way into having Jane stay with him in the jungle. His plan was working. "That Jane stays with Tarzan."

Wendy interjected, "Um, Tarzan?" Tarzan responded to her voice, before she mimicked the phrase he uttered before her arrival. "Eh-ooh-ooh-oo-ah. What does it mean?"

Deciding that it was time to answer the Sky Dragon Slayer's question, he strained his throat to give a simple reply. "Heart."

Wendy's eyes widened in surprise. "Heart? Is that what it meant?"

Tarzan replied calmly, "Eh-ooh-ooh-oo-ah. Heart."

With a silent gasp, Wendy took a deep breath, taking the meaning of the word Tarzan spoke in gorilla language to mind. Following their first encounter after holding off Sabor, when she asked for the whereabouts of her friends, the ape man replied that her friends were "here," not just in the Deep Jungle or in other worlds, but in the heart. "Friends..." Wendy said softly, putting one hand over her heart. "...in our hearts?" She shut her eyes, beginning to understand what Tarzan told her a while ago. She came to realize that the ape man was trying to teach one of life's great lessons; if you have a heart, it's easier to find friends in high places, and friends will be in your heart, no matter where you go. It was a comforting reminder of how friendship empowers the heart, and that power keeps you going. With an affectionate sigh, Wendy felt content at Tarzan's advice.

The Sky Maiden was snapped out of her trance by Jane's quivering voice. Once again, she was torn by Tarzan's request to stay in the jungle, despite her plans to return home. "You want me to stay? But I thought we'd already... Tarzan, I..." She was so absorbed in trying to decide that she didn't notice the batch of small rocks fluttering their way into the nesting ground. Clayton didn't pay attention as well, as he struggled to wrestle his rifle away from the gorilla who snatched it. Everyone else observed the rocks rolling along the dirt between the leaves, until they stopped by hitting any solid matter nearby.

"Garwsh, is it rainin' out here?" Goofy wondered, gesturing to the bright open sky. "How come the sun is still shinin'?"

"Clouds mix together and block the sun, and then it rains," Sherria pointed out. "The sky can't possibly rain when the sun is shining." She then rubbed the back of her head, "But how come there's rain? And why's it raining rocks?"

"Oh, stop it, you two!" Donald barked. "It's nothing! It's just some random animal throwing rocks."

Abruptly, the rocks glowed red. Crimson lights illuminated the nesting ground, accompanied by beeping sounds. Goofy chimed, "Oh, look! The rocks are glowin'! It's like Christmas!"

Unfortunately, Alzack and Bisca were well aware of the situation. As the beeps went faster, it struck them. "TAKE COVER!" Hearing Alzack's alarming voice, Wendy and company ducked.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The nesting ground shuddered with the detonation of grenades. They didn't explode in flames, but rather that of massive puffs that scattered any plants and grass nearby. The gorilla troop was thrown into a panic, and they hastily took shelter in the treetops to avoid the miniature explosions. When the smoke cleared, the apes' hoots transitioned from cheeriness to fear. Wendy and company looked around in awe to witness the degree of damage done to the nesting ground.

Porter exclaimed, "Oh, by Jove! Quite a mess they made."

Sherria stated, "For Christmas decorations, they sure go out with a bang."

Alzack implied, "These decorations are a bad sign. And that means..."

Bisca alerted, "They're coming this way!"

Jane wondered, "Who?"

Right on cue, the sounds of chopping plants gave way. A unified army of Poacher Fang and Sleepy Hollow wizards flooded in, using their swords to slice through the vast green river. Made aware of their arrival, Wendy and her friends readied their weapons and magic in a defensive manner.

Jane gasped, "It's them!"

Wendy shouted, "Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang!"

Porter cried, "Oh, my!"

Donald groaned, "Not those palookas again!"

One of the Sleepy Hollow wizards boasted, "Finally, we've found the gorillas! Score one more for Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang!" The rest of the dark wizards yelled in triumph over their success. The gorillas' fear continued to fester.

A Poacher Fang wizard noticed the presence of Wendy and her companions. He called out to his comrades in a mocking manner, "Hey, look who it is, bros. It's the Keyblade girl and her band of washouts. It's surprising how they found the nesting ground, considering the beating they gave us."

Another Sleepy Hollow wizard interjected, "At least we came what we're here for. The gorillas are as good as ours!" He then projected his voice over to Wendy and company, "You punks got lucky last time. You've beaten a lot of our men, but this time, you won't fluke another victory. Now step aside and let us take the gorillas if you want to live!"

Jane screamed, "No! Stay away from the gorillas, you horrid men!"

Bisca retorted, "Like anyone would hand over those innocent animals to punks like you!"

Alzack agreed, "You hear that? They're staying put!"

Wendy declared, "I don't know how you followed us all the way here, but we're NOT going to let you take the gorillas! You'll have to get past us first!"

The rest of the group shouted in agreement as they rallied alongside the Sky Maiden, their final answer registered to the army of dark wizards. They would never hand over the gorilla troop, and they certainly weren't going down without a fight. Perched in the comfort of the treetops, the gorillas could do nothing but give screeches of encouragement to bolster the young heroes. As for Tarzan, he felt touched by the strength and determination of his companions. Seeing as they were eager to defend the gorillas as much as he was, he decided to join in.

A third Sleepy Hollow wizard jeered, "Ha! You don't stand a chance! The combined might of Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang unites against you!"

Wendy cried defiantly, "In your dreams! It'll take more than an army of average wizards to take us down!"

A fourth Sleepy Hollow minion deadpanned, "You're the ones going down. We won't be fighting alone. We have Commander Xalemon with us! You'll be dead in ten seconds!" Again, the dark wizards cheered.

Wendy asked, "Commander Xalemon? He's behind all this, isn't he? What does he want with—"

Before the Sky Dragon Slayer could ask any more questions, an ominous object glowed from the sky. The structure took the form of a sparkling meteorite, and it plummeted between the opposing groups, leaving a trail of electrical spasms in its descent. A powerful blast was discharged from where the meteorite collided, creating a wide circle of burnt earth. There stood a man emerging from the sparkling point of impact, wearing a spiked armored suit of crimson and gold with his face concealed by a helmet resembling a horned demon's. "Knock, knock..." the figure spoke.

Wendy demanded, "Who are you?!"

The figure removed his helmet, revealing a face with short red hair and an eyepatch bearing the Sleepy Hollow mark. Alzack and Bisca froze. The newcomer closely resembled one among those who led the assault on the Fairy Tail guildhall. The Connells recognized him with a deadly scowl. "You!"

"Daddy..." Jane whispered, rushing to her father's side.

"Stay with me, Jane," Porter urged, holding his daughter's hands.

"So you're the lowly bugs sticking your noses into our business..." the figure said casually. "You shouldn't have crossed the great Sleepy Hollow and our Alliance of Evil. Now I'll have to clean up your mess."

"Well, well," Bisca quipped. "Look who decided to come to the party."

"We thought you'd show up..." Alzack paused to add more anger to his words. "Wrecker!"

"I'm surprised! For a bunch of escaped Fairy Tail wizards, you actually have the gall to recognize me!" Wrecker laughed in amusement. "That's right, my name is Wrecker Xalemon of the Headless Horsemen, the team of highly elite wizards representing Sleepy Hollow, and Kaze Viriniam's personal guards!"

"Wak!" Donald quacked. "Poacher Fang? Sleepy Hollow? Headless Horsemen? Kaze Viriniam? These guys are crawling out of the woodwork!"

"So you're one of the Headless Horsemen, the Sleepy Hollow wizards Mr. and Mrs. Connell talked about!" Wendy confirmed.

"The guys who attacked your guildhall and kidnapped your friends? For real?" Sherria questioned.

"Positive. He's one of 'em," Bisca nodded.

"You've got some nerve showing up after what you did," Alzack glared at Wrecker. "What business do you have in kidnapping our friends? And what got you into working with dark guilds?"

"The Alliance of Evil is seeking to expand its ranks, and a select few guilds have loyally benefited to the cause," Wrecker explained. "Sleepy Hollow is among the chosen! They tasked us to patrol the universe in search of worthy recruits, whether to buy their loyalty with promises of power or turn them into Heartless. Seeing the power and potential your guild has, we figured it would make a find addition."

"You bastards!" Alzack snarled. "You think our guild's gonna be a part of your lunatic scheme?!"

"It's funny the first time our guilds met, we were squabbling like two birds over a berry," Wrecker grinned. "We should've resolved this peacefully, but seeing the limited time we had left, what choice did we have but to use force? No matter. Once we reveal to the rest of your guild the details of our grand plan, they'll be more than happy to help us. If you're smart enough, you should join the club."

"Oh, yeah?" Bisca asked sarcastically. "And why would we wanna do that?"

"Because the Alliance of Evil is unstoppable," Wrecker answered. "We have power and forces far greater than you can comprehend. Sleepy Hollow is no exception. No one, not even you, can possibly withstand us!" He laughed at the thought while the others scowled spitefully. "But, I'll make it worth your while if you come quietly with us. I might even let you see your comrades again."

"We're not gonna fall for your dirty tricks!" Wendy countered. "Since you kidnapped our friends, we're just gonna take them back from you. We in Fairy Tail take back what's stolen from us. That's our way!"

"Nice speech, kid," Bisca approved with a smile. "Thanks for backin' us up."

"Sure thing, Mrs. Connell," Wendy smiled back.

"A feisty one, you are!" Wrecker remarked the Sky Maiden's confidence. "You must be Wendy Marvell, the Keyblade's chosen one. I see why Master Viriniam holds you in high regard. You slew countless Heartless and decimated two dark guilds. A glorious achievement for a kid."

"You brought Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang here to capture the gorillas!" Wendy angrily pointed the tip of the Blue Mistral at Wrecker. "What do you want with them?!"

"Good question," Wrecker replied. "You're eager to know why we're after the rarest animals in the jungle. At the start of our expedition, we conducted thorough research, and produced a tremendous result. The gorillas possess overwhelming strength and power! The purpose of the expedition is to not only hunt the gorillas, but turn them into Heartless to serve our every needs. With raw power and sheer aggressiveness, they'll make Heartless unlike any ever bred!"

Wendy and company gasped as the villains' objective was revealed. Sherria was the first to speak her reaction, "Turn them into Heartless?! How could you do such a thing to those cute little apes?!"

Wrecker answered, "We rip out their hearts through the powers of darkness, and use them as the basis for new Heartless. Plain and simple."

Carla guessed, "You sent the Heartless after them. They are attracted to the darkness in their hearts."

Wrecker smirked, "Guilty as charged! One by one, they stalked any gorilla that had been led astray, only to be derailed by an obstacle. In other words, Wendy Marvell and her Keyblade. And the other obstacle is that the Deep Jungle is vast, making the nesting ground impossible to find. So we decided to bide our time..."

Carla clarified, "In other words, you somehow followed us here."

Jane questioned, "But how? How did you..."

Wrecker replied, "It never hurts to have friends in high places. The prey makes its trail along the sand, and the hunter can easily trace it."

Goofy remarked, "Wow, Wrecker, you sure are smart to follow us all the way here, aren't ya?"

Wrecker admitted, "I was good, wasn't I?" Saying this, he let out a dominating laugh.

Alzack raised an eyebrow, "Huh? Friends in high places?"

Bisca wondered, "Is he talkin' about—"

Resting the claw bearing his spiked iron ball against his hip, Wrecker said, "Now, if you're done with the chatting, we'd like you to quietly hand over those apes. Hand them over, and I promise no one will get hurt."

Wendy shook her head in refusal, "Forget it, Wrecker! Helping you jerks is the last thing we're interested in! They're staying put! And we'll protect them from you!"

Goofy determined, "We ain't gonna let ya lay a hand on those sweet gorillas..."

Donald added, "Not as long as we have anything to say about it!"

Sherria demanded, "Just go away and leave us alone!"

Tarzan said firmly, "We must protect gorillas."

Wrecker confirmed, "I was hoping you wouldn't say that. In that case..." He raised his spiked ball and slammed it against the ground, a small wave of dirt popping in its wake. "...we'll fight you for them. Winners take all." With that said, the Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang wizards girded themselves for battle.

Bisca taunted, "Don't blink, or you'll miss the part where we kick your butts!"

Alzack turned to Professor Porter, "Professor, take care of Asuka. We got this!"

In compliance with Alzack's request, Porter grabbed Asuka by the chest and dragged her away from what was soon to be the epicenter of an epic battle. "Come along, Asuka. Quickly, now!"

As she was being carried off, Asuka cheered for her parents, "Go, Mommy! Go, Daddy! Get the bad guys! Get the bad guys!"

Porter turned to Jane and suggested, "Jane, dear, I believe now is a good time to seek shelter. This could get pretty rough."

Jane nodded, "I agree. Let's leave this matter in the hands of the pros." She glanced at Wendy and the others, "Good luck, everyone. Show them what you're made of."

Before the battle could commence, Wrecker barked an order to the Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang wizards. "All of you, capture any gorilla on sight and take them back to the ships! I'll deal with Marvell alone."

A Sleepy Hollow wizard protested, "But sir, it's all of us against a few of them! Why can't we just fight together?"

Wrecker responded, "You take them all. I take Marvell. Personally, I can't wait to test the limits of my power against hers. This will be entertaining!" He slammed his open palm against his spiked ball, brimming with anticipation. "Now, go! Do your jobs! And deal with any resistance that comes your way!"

"Yes, sir!" The army of dark wizards immediately split into individual squads and scattered throughout the nesting ground, their weapons bared for the gorillas cowering in the treetops.

Seeing how the gravity of the situation had changed, Wendy turned to her friends for guidance. "They're after the gorillas! What are we gonna do?"

Sherria proposed, "Let's split up! We'll deal with the flunkies while you go after the boss. Somebody's gotta step up for these poor gorillas."

Alzack suggested, "Leave the gorillas to us. Bisca, Sherria, and I will hold off Poacher Fang and Sleepy Hollow. That way, you can focus on Wrecker."

Carla told Wendy, "He is after you, so you're going to have to fight him. Donald, Goofy, Tarzan, and I will fight alongside you."

Donald nodded, "You bet! Five against one is a home field advantage. This'll be easy."

Goofy agreed, "Donald's right. We're more than enough for a big bully like Wrecker!"

Tarzan added, "I'll fight, too."

Bisca grinned, "This is it, kid. Ready to rumble?"

Wendy said firmly, "Yeah! Let's show Wrecker how it's done!" She turned to Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Tarzan, "You guys ready?"

The four responded in unison, "Ready!"

"Let's go!" Shouting these words with vigor, the group split up to fight the enemies separately; Alzack, Bisca, and Sherria to defend the gorillas from the opposing Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang wizards, and Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Tarzan to confront Wrecker. The Sky Maiden and her team stared at the Headless Horseman, who brandished his spiked ball of iron.

"Five against one, eh? Ha!" Wrecker scoffed. "It doesn't matter how many allies you have, Keyblade bearer. The day you decided to challenge me is the day fate decided you would lose! You will all be crushed under my boot!"

"Like I said, we're not gonna fall for your tricks!" Wendy shot back.

"You've got a big mouth, kid," Wrecker commented. "Fine then, if it's a challenge you want, you'll have one with Wrecker Xalemon, the Strength of the Headless Horsemen." Banging his spiked ball against the dirt once more, he put on a dangerous war face. "Come on, give it your best shot! My spiked ball of iron hasn't met its match yet!"

"I bet you haven't seen THIS! Sonic Blade!" Wendy made the first move with a series of supersonic thrusts that struck Wrecker in multiple directions. The last attack directed to the chest, pushing him away a few inches. "How's that, Wrecker?"

"Not bad..." Wrecker flinched. "Just what I'd expect from the Keyblade master. However..." He took an aggressive fighting stance, "I'll enjoy this even more by smashing you all to a bloody pulp! The Underworld awaits you!" Saying this, the claw comprising his right hand shot the extensive chain supporting the spiked ball. With a thunderous roar, Wrecker swung the chain and hammered the spiked ball horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, in an effort to hit all his targets randomly. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Tarzan dodged with well-timed jumps or ducks, taking caution not to get hit. As time passed, the spiked ball increased in speed and continued to flail its way around, but Wendy's team kept on avoiding it. Whenever the steel object reached a treetop, any gorilla nearby would jump to another for safety. Regardless of the danger the battle threw them into, the gorillas screeched and cheered the heroes on, most of all their hero and protector, Tarzan.

When flailing his spiked ball proved implausible, Wrecker resorted to retract it back to his claw and use it as a fist to attack at close range. Wendy's team countered by either dodging or parrying the spiked ball with their weapons. Later, when Wrecker missed a downward strike, Wendy dashed forward and struck him with a 9-hit Keyblade combination. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" In addition, she summoned powerful gusts around her arms and slammed them down. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" She bashed Wrecker with a wind-induced backflip that sent him crashing against an abandoned tree. "Sky Dragon's Roar!" Lastly, her tornado breath attack connected, creating an explosion that sent him sliding several feet.

Making a fast recovery, Wrecker saw Donald, Goofy, and Carla going on the offensive. He fired the chain and flailed his spiked ball in circles, to which the three avoided it with precise movements. "Goofy Rocket!" As soon as Goofy was close enough, he punched Wrecker in the face with his shield, flinging him up as hard as he could.

"Blizzard!" Donald fired an ice crystal from his staff, freezing Wrecker in midair.

"White Moon!" Carla cartwheeled herself into a drop kick across Wrecker's face, sending him crashing to the ground.

Digging his spiked ball against the dirt to get himself up, Wrecker hopped into the air and channeled fair amounts of magical energy into the menacing sphere in his claw. "Megaton Crush!" Upon landing, the spiked ball touched the ground, erupting a powerful shockwave from where it stood. The tremendous energy proved sufficient enough to destroy a large portion of the nesting ground, and any gorilla within its vicinity was forced to retreat. Despite the overwhelming force, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Tarzan stood their ground.

"Thunder!" Donald raised his staff in the air, electrocuting Wrecker with a thunderbolt.

"Sonic Blade!" Wendy hit Wrecker with the same tactic she used at the start of the battle. At the last supersonic thrust, he was sent in the air.

"Take that!" Goofy leapt up and smacked Wrecker with a downward shield attack. The Headless Horseman was able to land on his feet at the last moment, and he readied himself for his next attack.

"Doomsday Jolts!" Wrecker focused his magic directly into the spikes surrounding his armor, a stream of familiar multicolored energy flowing around them. Targeting Wendy and her friends, he discharged electrical blasts, instantly burning away charring a few trees nearby. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Tarzan were nimble enough to dodge the sparks, and the deadly dance lasted for a short while. Though a few Doomsday Jolts were quick enough to electrocute a few, the group kept up the pace. "Megaton Crush!" Another shockwave from the spiked ball reduced a few gorillas' nests to rubble, with Wendy's team getting out of the way. Wrecker took a few swipes with chain swings and spiked ball attacks, which the heroes were able to dodge despite his tenacity.

"That electricity..." While Carla was busy dodging Wrecker's attacks, she noticed the Headless Horseman's armor giving off whatever sparks remained of his Doomsday Jolts, and her eyes tilted curiously. "Where have I seen that before?"

"Sky Dragon's Claw!" Wendy attempted at a counterattack with her wind-pulsated legs.

"C'mon!" Wrecker dared the Sky Maiden to make her move. When the Sky Dragon's Claw collided with his spiked ball, the Headless Horseman seized his chance by grabbing her leg and slamming her to the ground with great force. He swung his spiked ball, smacking Wendy away before she could get up.

The Sky Dragon Slayer flew so far across the nesting ground that when she landed on her stomach, she slid over to Tarzan. Before the ape man could check if his friend was alright, he saw Wrecker going in for the kill. "Wendy!" Tarzan shouted urgently, and when she heard his voice, she was able to slide out of the way in time. Before long, Wrecker hurled his spiked ball, Tarzan's chest caught in its grasp. He swung the chain and sent the wild man crashing against a boulder, knocking him out cold.

"TARZAN!" Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Carla screamed out the name of the wild man who instantly fell in battle at the hands of the Headless Horseman. Even Jane and Professor Porter, who witnessed the ongoing clash from a safe distance, were dismayed. Asuka, however, paid no attention to the fight. Her attention was focused on her parents' valiant effort to defeat Wrecker's minions. Infuriated by Wrecker's aggressive tactics, Wendy turned to him and shouted, "You leave Tarzan alone!"

"I show no pity for my enemies, least of all this witless wild man," Wrecker said remorselessly. "But don't worry... It'll all be over soon!"

"You'll pay for that!" Wendy dashed and assaulted Wrecker with multiple swings of her Blue Mistral, to which the latter effortlessly parried with his spiked ball, and a vicious clash between blade and sphere ensued.

"Doomsday Jolts!" Wrecker ended the clash by discharging multicolored jolts from his armor, and Wendy dodged them all with a series of cartwheels. "Megaton Crush!" In a change of tactics, he shook the ground with immense shockwaves from his magic-powered spiked ball. This was done three times, but Wendy somehow managed to endure. "Rolling Thunder!" His armor emitting more electricity, Wrecker jumped and curled himself into a ball, before he somersaulted downward. When he landed, the resulting shockwave was less destructive that his Megaton Crush. The Rolling Thunder was performed at least four times, and Wendy kept on cartwheeling in spite of the Rolling Thunder's high velocity. Just then, when the Sky Maiden distanced herself away from the last Rolling Thunder, she didn't notice Wrecker appearing behind her. "You're mine!"

"Gotcha!" Wendy's keen senses kicked in. She unleashed a lightning fast 12-hit combo, the last swing bashing Wrecker's chin with the tip of the Keyblade. "I call upon thee, the stalwart might to cleave the heavens... Arms!" Boosting herself with a temporary increase in offensive power, she performed another 12-hit combo, each strike empowered by her Sky Dragon Slayer Magic. The final swing sent Wrecker flipping into the air and crashing onto his chest.

"Good goin', Wendy! You got 'im!" Goofy cheered.

"Keep it up!" Donald encouraged.

"Let's not get overconfident!" Carla advised.

"What an intense battle! That rapscallion appears to be down for the count, but it's still anyone's game." Porter commented.

"How are Alzack, Bisca, and Sherria?" Jane asked.

"They're defending the gorillas from those wicked men as we speak. They're struggling to distract the guards away from their leader," Porter gestured to an area separate from where the battle between Wrecker and Wendy's team occurred.


The team of Alzack, Bisca, and Sherria decimated an immense number of Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang wizards before they could reach the gorillas. Though the battle was exhausting at best, the three were fiercely determined to ensure that Wrecker's plan was no closer to success.

"They're more persistent than I thought," Alzack admitted. "Just like Phantom Lord all over again."

"Like the time we attacked the branch in Oak Town?" Bisca winked. "It was a blast?"

"How's Wendy holding up?" Sherria asked. "I bet she's doing a better job than us."


With a groan, Wrecker hammered his spiked ball against the ground, giving him an extra boost that flung him back up to his feet. His battle cry of anger echoed through the smoldering rubble and into the winds, his temper sharpened into a rage that helped him forget the injuries. His slapped his palm against the spiked ball and began to focus. He growled menacingly as he gathered ridiculous amounts of magical energy, the multicolored electrical power around his body rising faster like it never had before.

"Where is all this magic coming from?" Carla's jaw dropped at this new development. "The electricity coursing through his body looks similar to the energy Sabor emitted... Could it be?!"

"Ashura Field!" Spreading his arms out, Wrecker discharged a massive magnetic field of ethereal energy. More than half of the nesting ground was caught in the fold, and a burning wasteland was all that remained when it vanished. The entire gorilla troop was disturbed at the destructive power of the Ashura Field, and their cries sounded with more horror than they had ever mustered. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Carla were able to survive, though their bodies were slightly immobilized by the magnetism. They were stunned at what seemed to be Wrecker's most powerful ability yet. The Porters, the Connells, Sherria, and the remaining Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang wizards turned to the ruined section of the nesting ground in awe.

A Sleepy Hollow wizard shouted, "He's doing it! Wrecker has unleashed the invincible Ashura Field technique that made him famous!"

Another Sleepy Hollow wizard commented, "Yeah, but it's only just a fraction of his magic. Just wait 'til he unlocks his true power, the murderous intent..."

A Poacher Fang wizard cheered, "Go, Wrecker, go! Smash 'em to pieces!"

"Sky God's Bellow!" Just then, a black tornado blew away the last squadron of Sleepy Hollow and Poacher Fang minions, sending them flying into the sky in a multitude of screams. Wiping away the strands of black wind from her mouth, Sherria yawned and stretched her arms. "Well, I guess that's about all of 'em. The gorillas should be safe now. Now, let's go after Wrecker!"

Jane cried frantically, "This is terrible! The battle with Wrecker has burned away the plants and trees! The nesting ground is getting destroyed!"

Sherria smiled, "You gotta have faith in us. The gorillas' home will be saved."

Jane said worriedly, "It's not that I don't have faith. It's just that if this battle keeps up, there will be no home left to save." She gestured to the frightened gorillas hiding in whatever was left of the treetops, "The gorillas will be homeless."

Porter clarified, "Actually, this nesting ground is only a temporary residence. According to my research, whenever conditions are severe and their safety is threatened, they move to another location where they will nest and raise their young."

Jane beamed in realization, "Oh, of course! This place isn't the only one fit for nesting. There are many others."

Bisca confirmed, "Guess the only thing left to do now is to round up the gorillas and get 'em outta here, just until this whole thing blows over."

Sherria winked, "Just leave it to us!"

Alzack asked, "What about Wendy?"

Sherria assured, "She's got it under control. It's gonna take more than a super-electric attack to take down my best friend. She's beaten worse than that." Alzack and Bisca nodded in agreement. "C'mon, let's get the gorillas to safety!"

"Right!" And thus, Sherria, the Connells, and the Porters began their objective to evacuate the entire gorilla troop out of their former nesting place, which had turned into a battlefield. At the same time, they prayed that the young Keyblade wielder would survive the skirmish.


"How do you like my special technique of giga-volt ethereal power?" Wrecker sported a proud grin towards a slightly injured Wendy and her teammates, his armor jolting with tiny sparks as a result of discharging the Ashura Field. "Quite the shocking experience, don't you think?"

"That power is the same as Sabor's!" Wendy cried. "Where did you get that?"

"I take it you experienced the Ashura Field before," Wrecker assumed. "I suppose you deserve to know. I imbued a portion of my magic inside a leopard I've tamed, and sent her after you."

"You were testing us!" Carla exclaimed. "You granted Sabor the ability to use magic!"

"Who? Sabor?" Wrecker scratched his head. "I don't know what you're talking about! The leopard is my pet, and her name is Miss Fluffy!"

"It's Sabor, not Miss Fluffy," Donald corrected.

"Sabor's your pet, huh? You sure have a way with animals," Goofy commented.

"Hmph!" Wrecker snorted. "It doesn't matter how you address her. And you were right. I dispatched the leopard to test the strength and abilities of the Keyblade master, as well as pursue any Fairy Tail wizard that had gone astray."

"That's why Sabor went after Alzack and Bisca!" Wendy realized. "And why Tarzan came to help!"

"However, the leopard's Ashura Field pales in comparison to mine," Wrecker continued. "You passed the test, Marvell. I'm impressed. But have you trained well enough to stand up to the REAL DEAL?!" The ethereal magnetism recharged in a matter of seconds, and he released it in the form of Doomsday Jolts approaching Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Carla at full speed.

"Heads up!" Wendy screamed. The four heroes split up to avoid the individual Doomsday Jolts dancing along the barren jungle area, burning away any plant they came into contact with.

"Go ahead! Dance! Dance for your lives!" Wrecker mocked, conjuring Doomsday Jolt after Doomsday Jolt to heat up the battle. "There is no escape!"

"Alright, that's it! Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy breathed a mighty gust of spiraling wind.

"Fire!" Donald pointed the tip of his staff and summoned a fireball.

"Goofy Bash!" Goofy threw his shield, turning it into a homing disc.

The three attacks assimilated into a maelstrom against the Doomsday Jolts, and they collided in a huge explosion, the shield retracting back to Goofy from where the puff of smoke emanated. However, Wrecker couldn't care less of the minor setback, as the Doomsday Jolts sparked continuously from his armor. Wasting no time, Wendy and her friends took defensive measures by dodging or deflecting a few jolts with their weapons and magic. A minute passed, and judging that Wendy and her teammates were worse for wear, Wrecker gathered more energy and emitted a second Ashura Field, which was considerably more dangerous than any Doomsday Jolt combined. Wendy's team was quickly subdued by the ethereal magnetism, and to add more insult to injury, Wrecker set his eyes on a battered and unconscious Tarzan. He leapt into the air and charged for another Rolling Thunder towards the wild man!

"Tarzan!" Wendy yelled, and with Wrecker a few inches before impact, she sprung up. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" Flexing her wind-fueled legs, she knocked Wrecker to the ground, disabling his Rolling Thunder technique.

Boosting himself back up, Wrecker lashed the chain spiked ball in a frenzy. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Carla eluded the dangerous steel object with ease, and whenever the one swinging it was left vulnerable, they would retaliate with rapid strikes; Wendy with her Keyblade, Donald with his staff, Goofy with his shield, and Carla with her kicks. Wrecker countered with Megaton Crushes, Rolling Thunders, and Doomsday Jolts, the hardest to avoid being the Ashura Field, but Wendy and her friends, motivated by their promise to defend the gorilla troop, evaded and counterattacked them all.

Later, Donald and Goofy pounded on Wrecker, who propped up his arms to defend himself, though the blows forced him to scoot back. Flustered, the Headless Horseman lifted his spiked ball and swatted Donald away. He fell back onto Carla, who pushed him back a few feet.

"Donald!" Carla called out. "Use your magic!"

"Fire!" As Donald flipped back, he blasted out a fireball.

"Goofy Charge!" Goofy ran with his shield as a battering ram, the fireball surrounding the object as it made contact. Wrecker managed to leap in the air and dodge the strike. "Goofy Tornado!" Goofy twirled himself, his spinning arms smacking the Sleepy Hollow wizard across the face. The Headless Horseman quickly recovered in the air and responded with a barrage of Doomsday Jolts, blowing Donald and Goofy back.

"Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" From behind, Wendy swung her whirlwind-induced arms, smashing Wrecker with great force.

The Headless Horseman made another fast recovery and conjured another Ashura Field, pushing the four out of his sight. He then proceeded to swing at a distracted Sky Dragon Slayer, who quickly regained her focus and hooked her Keyblade to the gut. The blow felt as though something squeezed the life out of him, but he didn't flinch. Breaking from the Keyblade's teeth sticking to his chest, he wrapped his arms around Wendy, flew up at high speeds, and was about to crush the Sky Maiden with a magnetic-powered body slam.

Wendy heard Wrecker's triumphant laugh, but knew it meant nothing- she was moments away from being flattened into a pancake by a living timebomb. She had to do something to avert her inevitable doom. And then it occurred to her! "Fire!" Wendy summoned a fireball from the tip of the Blue Mistral, which exploded on Wrecker's face. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" Her claw of sharp wind split the chain supporting the spiked ball, the metal object falling and digging its pointed ends against the earth. "Sky Dragon's Claw!" With a flip in the air, Wendy's wind-pulsated legs bashed the chin of a weaponless Wrecker. "Blizzard!" She fired an icy crystal that froze his mechanical arm in place. "Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Shattering Light: Sky Drill!" Lastly, Wendy summoned an immense whirlwind around her legs. She drove the Sky Drill towards Wrecker's chest, the two landing at high velocity. KA-BOOM!

The Sky Maiden made a safe landing, and her three other companions gathered by her side. A moderately injured Wrecker lay bare in a huge crater with several parts of his armor broken, including his mechanical right arm.

Donald breathed, "That was close!"

Goofy agreed, "Yup, that Wrecker feller's one tough cookie."

Wendy replied, "All the more reason I had to give it my all."

Carla confirmed, "And a valiant effort it was. This could work to our advantage."

Wrecker slowly sat up as an act of defiance against the injuries he bore. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Carla took defensive stances, expecting another comeback from the Headless Horseman. Wendy demanded, "Give up already! No matter what you're trying to do, you're not taking the gorillas!"

Wrecker groaned, "Ungh! That smarts... I can't remember the last time when someone left me tattered after a good brawl. At least, in my normal state. You even destroyed my claw." He hoisted himself up by using his left arm as a support beam, and eyed the Sky Dragon Slayer with an impressed look. "Not bad, Marvell. You've certainly been taking your vitamins lately. You're a lot tougher than I expected. Master Viriniam was right after all."

Wendy said confidently, "Don't underestimate us, Wrecker. When we're a team, we can accomplish anything." She gestured to herself and her teammates, and they all nodded with her.

Carla thought to herself, "Wrecker, one among the elite of Sleepy Hollow... He truly is a remarkable opponent, but our combined strength may prove sufficient enough to overcome him. And..." She turned to Donald, whose face was twisted into a determined scowl directed on the Headless Horseman. "Donald no longer has the luxury of competing with me and proving who's the best. I have to admit, he has changed for the better. Perhaps, if the time is right..."

Wrecker admired, "Thank you for the entertainment, Keyblade master. But..." He paused to narrow his eyes, "...did you really think I didn't prepare for this outcome?"

Wendy asked, "What do you mean?"

Wrecker smirked, "You thought that using a spiked ball of iron and discharging ethereal electricity are my only specialties? Check this out!" Again, the ethereal magnetism sparked around his armor, covering up the broken claw and the holes surrounding it. As Wendy and her friends looked closely, they discovered the multiple colors making up the magnetism mixing together into a single color, that of blood red.

Donald quacked, "Wak! What's going on?"

Goofy pointed out, "The color in his lightning's turnin' red!"

Wrecker declared, "Here's where the real fun starts! It's time I showed you my TRUE POWER!" He stretched out his arms and made a cross sign around his chest. "Take-Over Magic: Ashura Soul!" Upon saying those words, they sounded just like a demon, as if one voice blended with another.

Wendy's eyes widened in shock. "Take-Over..."

Carla shared the Sky Maiden's expression. "Magic?!"

The transformation began with Wrecker's body growing out of his armor, the increase in muscle and size tearing the metal like fabric. His skin turned dark purple, the eyepatch obscuring his right eye disappeared, the ball glowing blood red while the other glowed yellow, his hair turned white, spikes erupted around his elbows, two spiked humps popped from his back, and a sharp pointed bone protrusion replaced his severed right wrist. With the surge of destructive energy increasing ten-fold, the expression on Wrecker's face shifted from brash and overconfident to bloodthirsty and malicious. His arms spreading out, Wrecker unleashed his rage in the form of an inhuman roar to the heavens, the crimson magnetism washing over the nesting ground like a flood. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Tarzan stood their ground, but the wave of energy was pushing them back. When the energy subsided, Wrecker emerged before them under the guise of a spiked demon radiating with a murderous aura.

Goofy exclaimed, "WHOA! Wrecker got huge! Scary, too!"

Donald commented, "He's way scarier than Sabor!"

Wendy gasped, "You use Take-Over Magic?! Mirajane, Elfman, and Lisanna have that too!"

Carla shuddered, "That form of magic... It's filled with hatred and bloodlust!"

The newly transformed Wrecker laughed in triumph, "This is the true extent of my magic! Behold Ashura Soul, a Take-Over spell that grants me the form and destructive abilities of Ashura, the Demon God. The ancient entity of hellish rage has merged with my body, making me infinitely more powerful than those who came before me! All the forces of hate and rage harmonized into a surge of murderous intent!"

Goofy gulped, "Murderous intent?!"

Donald cried, "You can't be serious!"

Wendy blinked, "Ashura Soul draws on hate and rage?"

Carla confirmed, "So this is your magic in its true form..."

Wrecker boasted, "Say hello to the destructive might of Ashura Soul!" He slammed his foot and assumed a horse stance, causing the earth beneath to tremble. As he did so, a gale of crimson light erupted around the Headless Horseman, his voice coming off loud and vicious. "AND GOODBYE TO YOUR WORTHLESS EXISTENCE!"

Carla alerted her teammates, "Here he comes!"

"Ashura Senku!" Wrecker commenced the second round of the battle by gliding himself along the ground, the crimson aura balancing his flight. Regular attacks had no effect on him, essentially making the move a teleportation technique that caused his body to act similar to a phantasm. As he appeared before Wendy and company, he targeted Goofy, who raised his shield up to defend himself. Wrecker delivered a series of punches and kicks that bounced against the shield with mighty sonic booms, the shockwaves nearly faltering Goofy like the force of an earthquake. Soon, with the royal knight bent on one knee, Wrecker knocked off the shield with his spiked protrusion. He proceeded to decimate the vulnerable Goofy with another series of punches and kicks, ending the combo with a jumping kick attack. Then, Wrecker motioned his hand towards the spiked protrusion, focusing his energy to form an orb of purple magic. "Gou-Hadou!" Thrusting his arms, he fired a surging fireball of energy that headed straight for Goofy.

Donald shouted, "Goofy, look out!"

Hearing Donald's voice, Goofy rolled along the surface and retrieved the shield, effectively missing the Gouhadouken. Before Goofy could go on the offensive, Wrecker utilized Ashura Senku to glide himself in circles, before attacking from behind. The Captain of the Royal Knights would block continuously, but he was eventually overwhelmed by the Headless Horseman's endless assault, each blow fueled by Ashura Soul's murderous energy. "Gou-Hadou!" Wrecker summoned another purple fireball, and Goofy held it up to repel it. As soon as the Gouhadouken collided with the shield, the force sent it flying out of Goofy's hands! "Rakan Dantojin!" An opportunistic Wrecker slid forward and swiped his energized spiked protrusion in a slashing motion, cutting the royal knight across the chest. He then executed another Ashura Senku, followed by another string of murderous blows, and ending it with a Gou-Hadou that blasted Goofy upward. "Gou-Zanku!" Wrecker jumped and shot an airborne Gou-Hadou. "Sekisei Jiraiken!" Finally, he chopped with his magic-fueled protrusion, utterly devastating Goofy and leaving him down for the count.

The rest of the group were shocked at their friend felled by the Headless Horseman's unbelievable power. "GOOFY!"

Donald quacked angrily, "That does it!" Determined to avenge his friend, he dashed forward with a vigorous battle cry.

Wendy protested, "Donald, no!"

Carla shouted, "Get back here!"

Donald paid no attention to his teammates' protests, and he fixated his staff on Wrecker. "Blizzard!"

"Gou-Hadou!" Wrecker responded by shooting another projectile, which appeared to be larger in size that the Blizzard spell. Eventually, the Gouhadouken vaporized the icy crystal and approached the Royal Court Wizard, only for him to scoot away.

"Fire!" Donald shot a fireball, hitting a distracted Wrecker with a miniature explosion.

"Rakan Dantonjin!" Unfazed, Wrecker delivered a horizontal energy swipe, pushing Donald away. He then proceeded to smash the distracted duck with a fierce 8-hit combo and an airborne Gouhadouken. When Donald leaned up, he noticed the Headless Horseman channeling more magic between his open palm and his protrusion, only that the energy glowed red instead of purple. "Shakunetsu!" A Gouhadouken imbued with thermal energy flew towards Donald, who rolled out of the way. However, he realized too late that Wrecker teleported behind him with Ashura Senku, and he was consequently crushed by a 7-hit combo, two Gouhadoukens, a Zanku Hadouken, and a kick that sent him flying against a burnt tree that collapsed on him.

Wendy and Carla screamed in unison, "DONALD!"

Wrecker boomed, "Two of your comrades have fallen, and now it's your turn! Senkugoshoha!" Adapting a zen-state one-legged stance, he flew straight ahead and delivered a vicious spiked protrusion to Carla's chest, nearly squeezing the life out of her. The second blow was an uppercut to the chin with his following hand, sending the white Exceed flying. "Hyakkishu!" Wrecker leapt forward higher in the air for the next attack. "Hyakki Gosai!" Grabbing Carla's head, he performed a backflip kick to the face, then slammed her down with an energy chop. Next, she kicked the white Exceed away, giving him an aiming distance at long range. "Shakunetsu!" Finally, he shot a flaming Gouhadouken that exploded on Carla, knocking her out and reverting her back into her Exceed form.

Wendy shrieked, "CARLA!"

Wrecker declared, "This is the end, Wendy Marvell! You don't stand a chance against the Mad Demon! No one can!"

Wendy bellowed, "You monster! I'll make you pay! Blue Mistral Command Style: Skyward Wing!" In an flash, the Crystal Wings materialized behind her, and the Blue Mistral was replaced with a shining white blade.

"Hmph!" Wrecker jeered. "So you're executing a Command Style in an attempt to stop me?"

"It's my best bet against overpowered jerks like you!" Wendy boasted.

"Then prove it to me!" Wrecker growled. "Prove to me that the Keyblade can overcome my murderous intent!"

"I will! I'll show you!" Wendy vowed. She approached Wrecker with the Crystal Wings supporting her speed, the white blade gripped tightly in her hand.

"Ashura Thunder!" Charging straight ahead, Wrecker curled himself into a living ball emitting the same crimson magnetism prior to his transformation, thus making it a souped-up version of his Rolling Thunder technique.

"Wind Step!" Wendy quickly anticipated the Headless Horseman's next move and teleported herself to another location, mere seconds before the Ashura Thunder reached. The Sky Maiden was about to retaliate, but was caught off guard when the Ashura Thunder approached from the left! Realizing that Wrecker's attack could instantly pop up in separately directions, she struggled to counter the Ashura Thunder assault. But eventually, she was struck and knocked across terra firma.

The Sky Dragon Slayer made a fast recovery and saw the Mad Demon going on the offensive, authorizing full use of special techniques from Ashura Thunder to Rakan Dantonjin, Senkugoshoha to Sekisei Jiraiken, and Gouhadouken to Shakunetsu Hadouken. With proper focus and perfect timing, Wendy Wind Stepped to dodge most of Wrecker's brutal attacks. Though some of them managed to land a hit, she tried her hardest to press on, her resolve urging her not to stop. Later, when Wrecker missed a Sekisei Jiranken, Wendy hacked away at him with a lightspeed Keyblade combination. However, every time the Blue Mistral made a cut across his skin, the wounds would instantly mend themselves, and it looked like it had no effect on his health. At that exact moment, the Mad Demon's body glowed crimson for a brief second after taking so many blows. "Ashura Field!" He activated a more enhanced version of his signature magnetic field, blowing Wendy away.

When she got back up, Wendy scrambled along the scorched earth and slashed Wrecker with supersonic thrusts, combined with her Wind Steps in an attempt to distract him. Ten strikes later, the Mad Demon suddenly reached his hand and grabbed the edge in his palm! "Nice knife..." he said, before he kicked her exposed chest. Wrecker tried to uppercut Wendy with his spiked protrusion, who Wind Stepped just in time to avoid it. She reappeared behind him and attempted at a counterattack, only for him to use Ashura Senku to glide in multiple directions. When she looked to the right, she saw the spiked bone protrusion coming for her face, prompting her to duck. "Sekisei Jiranken!" The Mad Demon hopped and brought down his protrusion with an energy chop. Wendy barely had time to dodge, as she blocked the blow with her Keyblade. "Tatsumaki Zankukyaku!" Wrecker lifted himself off the ground and rotated his legs, kicking the distracted Sky Dragon Slayer's face like a hurricane. "Gou-Shoryu!" He then performed a jumping uppercut of flame that blasted her upward.

"Crystal Wings!" Wendy flexed the Command Style's signature wings to reposition herself, and began firing them as projectiles. Although Wrecker eluded the endless rain of miniature white blades with Ashura Senku, three of them somehow succeeded on sticking into his skin. Wrecker's healing factor kicked in, and the mended cuts shattered the crystals into little pieces. When her Crystal Wings failed, Wendy resorted to attack at close range with the Blue Mistral. She cut Wrecker's body at lightning speed, though it didn't affect him either. She exerted all her strength, all her speed, all her willpower- and it had no effect. Wrecker only flexed his muscles, not feeling the scorching pain of the Keyblade's edge.

"Why... Why won't you go down?!" Wendy cried in frustration. It was a reprisal of the final battle with Sabor, but this time, her Command Style, her ace in the hole in times of difficult battles, stood little chance.

"Surprised?" Wrecker smirked. "This is another feature of Ashura Soul. It grants me the ability to absorb and redirect all kinds of energy. My magic increases in response to physical trauma. No matter how many times you hit me, I can instantly regenerate." He punched the ground with his spiked protrusion, causing it to crack under pressure. "You can't hurt me, Marvell."

"NO! I WON'T LET YOU WIN!" Wendy yelled. She flashed towards Wrecker and delivered a swift cut to the cheek, the area of impact turning into a scar. The scar healed itself, and he felt no pain.

"Maybe you didn't hear me!" Wrecker cackled. "Nothing you can do can hurt me!"

"STOP IIIIIIITTTTTT!" In a fit of rage, Wendy flexed the extent of the Skyward Wing Command Style against the Mad Demon. To him, every attack the Sky Maiden could dish out was like a mosquito's bite, and it only increased his power. Of course, he had to defend himself. He effortlessly deflected the Blue Mistral and Crystal Wings with his normal attacks and special techniques. Wendy kept on dodging and striking back, never to rest until the enemy could feel pain, but to no avail. Soon, she was showing signs of fatigue, and her speed was beginning to weaken.

"Enough of this! I'll swat you away like the fly you are! Ashura Field!" Wrecker summoned another magnetic field to halt the Sky Dragon Slayer's persistence.

"Crystal Wing Shield: Sky Cloth!" Wendy flexed her hand and morphed the Crystal Wings together to shield herself, forcing the crimson magnetism to bounce back. Unfortunately, the extent of the murderous energy exceeded far more than the shield could hold. And just like that, it cracked.

"Nice try, kid..." Wrecker shot a Shakunetsu Hadouken, shattering the Sky Cloth on impact. "But pointless!" He then decimated a defenseless Wendy with Senkugoshoha, Tatsumaki Zankukyaku, and Goushoryuken. "The might of the Mad Demon is invincible! All attacks and magic are useless against me! Even YOU!" He landed a few normal strikes, Gouhadouken, Hyakkishu, and Sekisei Jiranken. "That's for messing with me!" His third combination consisted of a few more normal strikes, Rakan Dantonjin, Tatsumaki Zankukyaku, and Goushoryuken. "And that's for defying the sacred spirit of my guild!" With Wendy blown upward, Wrecker smacked her with an airborne Tatsumaki Zankukyaku, three Ashura Thunders, and a Zanku Hadouken. "This is the power of a Headless Horseman, a true Sleepy Hollow wizard!" Wrecker's voice rose to a nearly incomprehensible roar, and he channeled an incredible amount of magic into his spiked bone protrusion. "Banbutsu Hissatsu! Sekia Kuretsuha!" He drove it into the ground, summoning an exploding pillar of crimson energy that spanned the entire area, enveloping Wendy in its wake.

When the magic dissipated, the nesting ground was reduced to flames in a large dome-shaped radius. Wendy miraculously survived the blast, having struck the Blue Mistral against the dirt to withstand the energy, albeit exhausted and sustaining a lot of wounds. Her Crystal Wings were broken in half, rendering her speed and mobility unstable. Donald, Goofy, Carla, and Tarzan were also spared from the Sekia Kuretsuha, as they remained unconscious during the battle. Wrecker crossed his arms and observed the Sky Maiden's wretched state with a smug look. "Oh? You're still alive, aren't you? You sure are a glutton for punishment. What's the matter? Are you afraid that you can't beat me? At least she was more of a challenge than you."

Despite her condition, the fury in Wendy's eyes never ceased to burn. She growled tiredly, "I'll show you... what kind of a girl I am..." Reaching the pinnacle of her anger, she released a loud scream, summoning large gusts of wind upon herself and the Keyblade. She jumped in the air with all the amounts of energy gathered, brimming with anger and a desire to defeat Wrecker with one blow. "Command Style Critical Art: Great Dragon Wind!" The blade of the Blue Mistral morphed into a gigantic dragon-shaped tornado, and it caught Wrecker in its jaws, mashing his body with a loud CRUNCH!

From where it struck, the Great Dragon Wind puffed up into a small shroud of fog. Upon landing, Wendy stared into the abyss, hoping that after all her troubles, the Mad Demon was finished off by her ultimate attack. "Did I get him...?"

The outcome of the battle did not come as she had hoped. A silhouette emerged from the fog. Her face became tinged with despair, and tears streamed her face. "No...!"

The image of Wrecker Xalemon came into view, and he flinched away the remaining strands of wind covering his body. He laughed menacingly, "Was that little tornado seriously your best? Pathetic! Weak! Nothing, not even the strongest magic, has any effect on the mighty Demon God Ashura. However, from what the legends described, it can only be surpassed by a magic that slays gods... I have no idea what it looks like, not that I cared."

"No! No!" Wendy sobbed, collapsing on her knees and shaking with uncontrollable fear. She was too exhausted to stand up, and her fear made it even more so. "This can't be real! It can't be!"

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen!" Wrecker boasted. "To think you used to be a pain in the neck a while ago. Now then, I'll show you how a pro gets it done. Prepare to be schooled!" He adopted his horse stance, and the gale of murderous energy flowed around his body. He blended his hand with his spiked bone protrusion, and they quickly began to ferment a spark. A spark of black, a color much different than his other projectiles, a sign of something even worse. His aggression picked up and caressed the energy, fed it, let it grow into an inferno. Soon, the black spark grew into a tremendous sphere, all of his bloodlust and hatred converted into a single blast. His growl was empowered by an all consuming thirst for destruction.

Wendy was helpless and afraid. Fighting a wizard with high endurance to all magic and attacks was something she hadn't done before. She was so overcome with fear that she couldn't figure out how to beat such an overwhelmingly lethal opponent. Something inside was telling her to turn tail and run, but she was too tired to move, too tired to stand up...

The black sphere was fully charged. Wrecker was ready to unleash his ultimate attack. "METSU... HADOUKEN!" He compressed the sphere into a massive beam, and it headed straight for the Sky Maiden. That amount of magical power could spell the end of her...

...until a shadow whisked her away from oblivion. The Metsu Hadouken flew someplace else.


Meanwhile, in a separate location of the jungle, the evacuation of the gorilla troop was progressing smoothly, and Sherria, Alzack, Bisca, Asuka, Jane, and Professor Porter were leading the rescue effort. The operation was interrupted by a large black beam stretching from the area where Wendy, Donald, Goofy, and Carla fought Wrecker. Everyone was baffled at this sudden development, though they were fortunate to have been spared from the black inferno.

Sherria exclaimed, "Holy cow! Look at the size of that magical beam! Is Wrecker behind this?"

Alzack wondered, "Did Wendy and the others beat him?"

Bisca guessed, "Maybe they did. For all I know, the fight could already be over."

Sherria suggested, "Let's go check it out. We gotta make sure they're okay."

Alzack agreed, "Good idea."

Jane asked, "What about the gorillas? We're supposed to take them to a safe place, aren't we?"

Bisca turned to see the distressed looks on the gorillas' faces. "Well, their nesting ground's been attacked. They've grown so fond of it, and felt it was the best home they've ever had. Somebody's gotta let 'em know."

Jane confirmed, "Then we'll have to bring them along. If this nesting ground is their best and safest sanctuary, we have to ensure its safety, too."

Alzack stated, "Sounds like a change of plan."

Sherria beamed, "Alright, back to the old grind!"


Wrecker raised an eyebrow, noticing something amiss regarding the damage he caused. "What's this? Someone saved her from my Metsu Hadouken attack? Just when I was about to finish this battle quickly and bring her to Master Viriniam..." As he looked around for the person who saved Wendy, he spotted Tarzan, who had regained consciousness in a short period of time. He fastened a weakened Wendy in his right arm, staring at the Headless Horseman with fiery eyes. "So it's you. You finally woke up, jungle dog? You should've stayed unconscious, if you know what's good for you."

Wendy groaned slightly and turned to see the ape man securing her waist. "Tarzan...?" She grew relieved that her friend had awoken, and her tears stained her cheeks. Tarzan gently placed her down, and was dismayed when he turned his attention to Wrecker. "Tarzan, what are you—"

Wrecker chuckled, "Seriously? Do you really think a degenerate like you can protect her from me? Since I am in such a good mood, I'll allow you to scurry off and hide. Unless you want to suffer next?"

Tarzan responded with a defiant growl, "Tarzan, Wendy, friends. Won't hurt Wendy."

Wendy cried out in protest, "Tarzan, no! Don't! Get away from there!"

Wrecker sneered, "Unpleasant... Very well. I'll make short work of YOU first!" He stepped into his horse stance and glided along the earth, preparing to strike.

Wendy screamed at the top of her lungs, the tears flailing from her face. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The quick demise of her friend was just a moment away...

But Tarzan and Wrecker were just an inch apart.

Instead, the end of a spear plunged through the Mad Demon's chest, the ape man hoisting the base. Wendy stopped screaming, and she gasped upon seeing her teammate trying to counter Wrecker. "Tarzan?!"

Wrecker snarled, "Filthy scum! You have a death wish?!" Spreading his arms, he conjured up another Ashura Field, the crimson magnetism furiously flashing like a lightning storm. Tarzan felt the murderous energy seeping into his muscles, and his skin was scorched with unbearable pain. Nonetheless, he used any adrenaline in his body to keep his grip.

"Tarzan... Tarzan!" Amidst the broiling field of crimson electricity, Wendy used the Keyblade to haul herself to her feet. Although she was now standing, her legs lacked most of the strength to work as they should, and she found it almost difficult to walk. Regardless, she used what little strength remained to walk over to the scene of the disaster. She couldn't defeat Wrecker, but at least she could do something to help her friends. "Tarzan...!" Wendy could see Tarzan holding the spear aloft, wallowing in his suffering. She couldn't just sit here and let him fight Wrecker all by herself; it was not her intention to leave a friend behind. "Tarzan!"

Seeing that Tarzan was left in a weakened state by the Ashura Field's energy, Wrecker smirked evilly. He grabbed Tarzan by the neck and lifted his spiked bone protrusion, intent on piercing the enemy's chest with his own weapon.

"Tarzan!"

Wendy was almost there.

"TARZAN!"

The spike was about to land...

"TARZAAAAAAAAAAAAANNN!"

And finally, the Sky Maiden tore through the Mad Demon's skin with the Keyblade's teeth, a few meters from where Tarzan plunged his spear. Wrecker lurched, his eyes snapping open, before he screamed in agony. As the pain coursed through him, he realized that the tip of the blade struck next to where his heart rested. Could it be that Wendy had found his one weakness? With a twist, the Blue Mistral rotated around the skin, and the steel began to glow with radiant light. When it released, Wrecker's body erupted with the same light, his screams intensifying. The Keyblade had transformed the Mad Demon into a conduit for its power, infecting the crimson magnetism and neutralizing the murderous energy, completely dispelling it! Wrecker was beginning to feel the effects, almost as if his powers were draining...

KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOM! In a big explosion, the Ashura Field was destroyed, and any trace of the crimson magnetism had disappeared. What followed was Wrecker's chest erupting in a loud POP, blood gushing from where the Keyblade stabbed. But the most notable change was him being reverted back to his human form. The spike in the protrusion was downgraded to a normal hump, the spikes around his back and elbows were gone, his white hair returned to red, and his skin was no longer purple.

"Gaaggggghh!" Wrecker cradled his arms around his profusely bleeding chest, his aggression replaced with shock. "Wha... What the...?" It didn't take long for him to notice that something was nothing. "What happened to my Take-Over form?!"

"Huh?" Wendy blinked in confusion. "W-What happened? Did I do something?" She then turned to Tarzan, who was down on one knee, his body sustaining a few scorch marks from the Ashura Field's broiling heat. "Tarzan!"

Hearing the Sky Maiden's voice, Tarzan turned to her slowly, sporting a wide smile that helped him forget the injuries. "Are you okay?"

Wendy answered, "Yeah, I'm fine." She raised her eyes to look at Tarzan right in the face, her eyes glimmering from the last remaining tears she shed. "You stood up for me, didn't you?"

Tarzan replied calmly, "Tarzan, Wendy, friends. Tarzan here for you. Wendy very brave."

Wendy felt comfort at the ape man's words. "You were there for me when I needed someone for help... Thank you so much, Tarzan."

Tarzan grabbed Wendy's hand and helped her get to her feet. His only response was a gentle hoot, to which she giggled light-heartedly.

"What have you done to me?!" Wrecker demanded, catching the attention of the two as he cringed at his seemingly fatal injury. For the first time in his fighting life, Ashura Soul had actually failed him. "Did you cancel my Take-Over Magic?!"

Wendy gasped, "I-I did? All I did was push the Keyblade through your chest, and-" For a short moment, she stared at Wrecker's weakened state. She noticed that he was no longer taking the form of Ashura Soul, and she quickly recalled the result of the stunt she pulled off. "That's right... The Keyblade glowed inside him, and all of a sudden, his magic disappeared! It must've done a number on him!"

Wrecker exclaimed, "What sort of trick is this?! Ashura Soul is invincible! It can beat all kinds of magic! How can it fall to the magic of an old relic?!"

Seeing that her strategy paved the way for an opportunity, Wendy took on a confident smile. "I'm positive there's a lot of stuff about the Keyblade I haven't learned yet. If I keep this up..."

"Wendy!" Six voices cried out to her, and Sherria, Alzack, Bisca, Asuka, Jane, and Professor Porter ran over to the nesting ground, accompanied by the pack of gorillas. Discovering that Wrecker was seemingly down for the count, the gorillas were elated that the crisis had been averted, thanks to their fearless defenders. At the same time, though, they were saddened to see their beautiful nesting ground, the place where they raised their young and thrived in the predator-free environment, had been leveled down during the battle. They were anxious of what was to happen next, but they expressed relief that their safety was guaranteed. As for Kala, she felt worry and concern for Tarzan, who had survived the grueling encounter. She rushed over to her adoptive son and wrapped him in a warm embrace.

Kala muttered, "Oh, Tarzan! I'm so worried about you. What happened? Are you hurt?"

Tarzan assured, "I'm fine. Thanks, Mom."

Sherria pulled Wendy into a tight hug, "There you are, Wendy! We came back as soon as we saw the commotion. What were you and the others doing? What's the last thing you remember?"

Released from the hug, Wendy explained the details of the battle's conclusion. "I stuck the Keyblade into Wrecker's chest, and the Keyblade's light somehow cancelled his Take-Over Magic."

Alzack and Bisca exclaimed in unison, "Take-Over Magic?!"

Alzack blinked, "Wrecker can use Take-Over, just like Mirajane and the others?"

Bisca remarked, "Whoa! Never thought he had an ace in the hole!"

Wendy admitted, "He's really tough, but everything turned out okay. Tarzan helped, too."

Jane sighed in relief, "That was close..."

Porter remarked, "Nicely done, my friends! You overcame their leader!"

In the midst of this respite, Donald, Goofy, and Carla slowly recovered from their injuries. They stood up and walked over to the rest of the group. Donald wondered, "What happened? What's going on?"

Wendy beamed, "Oh, Carla! Donald! Goofy! You're all okay!"

Goofy questioned, "Are we hearin' things? Did we win?"

Wendy replied, "Yeah, Wrecker's Ashura Soul is gone. The Keyblade's power stopped it."

Carla exclaimed, "What?! You somehow managed to dispel Wrecker's magic?"

Wendy nodded, "Uh-huh!"

Carla breathed, "Thank goodness! Once again, you've performed admirably, Wendy."

Donald agreed, "Yeah, like Carla said. It's no secret Wrecker's a destructive maniac, but you got him on the ropes."

Goofy grinned, "You're the cutest, smartest gal we ever did see! We're lucky to have ya on our team!"

Wendy smiled with a blush, "Aww, you guys... You're the best. Thanks for everything. And..." She paused to see the warm expression on Donald's face. "You're not making fun of Carla anymore, are you? You called her by her name."

Donald replied with a shrug, "Yeah, so what if I did? Isn't that her name? It's not like I'm calling her names or anything."

Wendy gasped, "Wait... Don't tell me..."

Sherria asked hopefully, "You and Carla are gonna bury the hatchet?"

Goofy beamed, "Yeah! C'mon, Donald! How about it?"

Donald shook his head stubbornly, "No way! I still haven't forgiven her for pushing me around the ship." He folded his arms and turned away, "I'll apologize only if she does it first."

Wendy, Sherria, and Goofy sighed hopelessly, "No fair..."

Carla thought to herself, "It's fortunate to have a friend to remind us that we're all on the same team. Friends never turn their backs on each other. And Donald is right; it was my behavior that led us to this mess, so I should be the one to apologize. But I can't bring myself to say it. Not yet."

Bisca cheered, "Yee-haw! Congrats on givin' that bulking brute of nature the what for!"

Alzack grinned, "Nice work out there! You got him good for us. For Fairy Tail."

Sherria whooped, "We won! Hooray!"

And with that, Wendy, her friends, and the gorillas were immersed in celebration after a hard-fought battle. Wrecker, however, was none too pleased. Dispelling the Ashura Soul and leaving him with a bleeding scar on his chest was the first humiliation he had ever received. Not a good thing for a Sleepy Hollow wizard to be fantasizing, but he didn't care right now. It didn't help that the cheers and boasts kept working at him, eroding his mood. Unstable to stand their ignorance, he yelled out, "YOU FOOLS!" Wendy and her friends stopped the victory party and whipped their heads around to face him. "You think a little trick like that can stop me? I'll pulverize you in a heartbeat! I'll crush you all!" He crossed his blood-stained arms, and attempted to channel magic into himself again. "Take-Over: Ashura Soul!" Hearing those words, everyone braced themselves. But nothing happened. Wrecker was shocked and confused that he didn't transform into his Take-Over form. He tried again, "Ashura Soul!" Nothing happened. "Ashrua Soul! ASHURA SOUL! ASHURA SOOOUUUL!" He even raised his voice, and he was met with the same result. "What in the... Why isn't it working? Why can't I activate my Take-Over?" Wendy and her group looked at each other, before they broke into laughter, and it added to his humiliation. "What's so funny, you imbeciles?!"

Wendy said proudly, "Looks like my Keyblade not only stopped your magic, but locked it away!"

Donald smirked, "You hear that, you big palooka? That means you're outta style!"

Sherria taunted, "Can't continue without that fancy magic of yours, can you? All locked up, just like a chest! No wonder Wendy's weapon is called the Keyblade!"

Carla beamed, "Another brilliant strategy executed by Wendy. This will even the odds."

Wrecker gasped in horror, realizing what the Sky Maiden's bold attempt led to. He whirled to face her, shaking with agitation and a terrible desire to hurt her for costing him his powers. "How dare you, you sneaky little...!"

Alzack drew his magical pistol. "Now, Wrecker, you'll release Fairy Tail! Release everyone in our guild! Right now!"

Bisca did the same with her rifle. "You heard him! Give us back our guild, unless you wanna bleed some more!"

Wrecker roared, "You'll make no such demands from me! NONE, you hear me?! Just you wait! I'll reactivate Ashura Soul, and you will all suffer my full wrath! Mad Demon Wrecker will rise again! For I'm—"

He was suddenly cut off when he heard a loud yell. And it wasn't a human voice. A young female gorilla stumbled into the ruins of the nesting ground, prancing along the dirt in a hurry. She came to an abrupt stop when she tripped on a twisted root and collapsed. Jane noticed that the gorilla was wearing something of sentimental value to her. "Is that my dress?"

But for Tarzan, this meant trouble. He remembered what Terkina was supposed to be doing. "Oh, no..."

Wendy wondered, "What is it, Tarzan?"

The angry roar of a silverback gorilla was the answer. An aggressive Kerchak emerged, still driven by the urge to pursue Terkina, who had disguised herself as a human in order to distract him. His aggression subsided when he stopped to take a look yonder at the state of the gorilla troop's once beautiful nesting place, and all thoughts of the human imposter left him. Kerchak was completely shocked at the sight of what his pack's home had been reduced to— The gutted remains of trees stood bleak against the blue sky, plants stood blackened with the earth, and nests had been reduced to piles of soot. It also included the fact that the safety of his kind had somehow been compromised. Kerchak's worst fears were realized when he discovered the humans behind Tarzan, and he immediately realized that the ape man brought them here. The gorillas froze upon seeing their leader, while Wendy and company slightly backed away.

"Kerchak, I can explain," Tarzan tried to reason with Kerchak by hooting softly at him. "It's not what you think."

"What... What have they done? What have YOU done?!" Kerchak gasped, before a ball of spit dripped on his cheek. He turned to see Wrecker, the one who spat at him, who stared at him with contempt.

"Oversized piece of filth..." Wrecker snarled. "Get lost!"

Needless to say, Kerchak roared again and went on a rampage. He grabbed Wrecker by the leg and slammed him against the dirt, similar to how a toddler carelessly throws his action figure around. In an instant, the anger in Wrecker's voice was replaced with hysteria, and it blended with the pounding. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" Then, Kerchak threw Wrecker down and pummeled him repeatedly with swings of his arms. "GO AWAY!" With Ashura Soul sealed off by the Keyblade's power, the brutal blows inflicted by the silverback gorilla smarted, and the Mad Demon's endurance factor failed. His protests fell on deaf ears, and all he could do was scream over and over. Wendy and her companions were speechless as they witnessed Kerchak torturing Wrecker to death- a just punishment for those who dared to trespass or harm the gorilla family. Tarzan was not taking this lightly; he felt that this was going too far.

During the chaos, the group spotted Clayton chasing a young gorilla making off with his rifle. "Give my back my rifle!"

Jane called out, "Mr. Clayton! There you are! Where have you been?"

Ignoring the message, Clayton took a mighty pounce and grabbed the gorilla in his arms. "Give it to me!" After a brief tug-of-war, he successfully retrieved his gun and pointed the barrel, bent on shooting the animal for his humiliation. Before he could fire, he heard a scream.

"CLAYTON! CLAYTON!" Wrecker's frantic voice echoed between Kerchak's continuous slams. "HEEEELLPPP MMMMEEEEEE!"

"CLAYTON?!" Alzack and Bisca exclaimed at the revelation.

"Clayton?" Carla asked. "You mentioned him by name?"

"Wrecker called out his name," Alzack recalled. "Just like Clayton called out his!"

"What are you talking about, Mr. Connell?" Porter asked confused.

"Looks like the secret is out," Bisca confirmed. "They're on the same team."

"On the same team?" Jane asked incredulously. "You don't mean...?!"

"CLAYTOOOOOOOOOON!" Wrecker hollered. "HEEEEEEEELLLLLP! GET THIS DAMN DIRTY APE OFF ME!"

"Hold still, you fat fool!" Clayton positioned his rifle. "I'll get rid of that beast for you! One less death of a beast to worry about!"

"No, you don't!" Alzack caught wind of the veteran hunter's desire to shoot the silverback gorilla, and fired a bullet from his pistol. It knocked the rifle out of Clayton's hands, although the trigger had already been pulled. It prompted a gunshot to fly past Kerchak. The noise drew his attention, and he abandoned Wrecker, leaving him a bleeding and bruised husk. He perceived Clayton as another potential threat, and charged for him.

But the silverback gorilla got no closer. Tarzan got on his back and restrained him with a hold around his neck and right arm, determined to stop the violence before it escalated further. The idea was to establish friendly relations between two species, not spark hostilities. Tarzan didn't want such a thing! He wanted it to end in peace, not war! He kept his hold on Kerchak, who trashed about to break free, but was eventually pinned to the ground. "GO!" Tarzan yelled out to his friends.

They didn't need another warning, and they made their way for the exit. However, Wendy stayed behind, concerned for Tarzan. "Wait! What about you?"

"GO NOW!" Tarzan roared.

"Wendy, come on!" Donald led Wendy away, and escaped with the others. Clayton stayed long enough to glare at Kerchak, vowing to get back at him and the rest of the gorillas when the plan commenced. Using what little strength he had left, Wrecker managed to get back up using his left arm as a prop, and limped to the nearest exit.

Meanwhile, seeing that everyone had left the nesting ground, Tarzan immediately released Kerchak, who struggled to rise from submission. The silverback gorilla breathed heavily, grasping his neck with a right hand. Then it was quiet. Tarzan was shocked at the extent of his actions, realizing what he had just done. He looked around to see the entire gorilla troop eyeing him with surprise and dismay, including Terk. He then turned to Kala, who only lowered her head in silence.

A wave of guilt overcame Tarzan. He attacked the leader of the gorilla troop only when he had no choice. He tried to apologize for what he did, "Kerchak, I didn't... I'm sorry, I—"

"I asked you to protect our family," Kerchak countered, both his face and his voice laced with a mixture of bitterness and pain. "And you betrayed us all."

Those words left a stunning impact on Tarzan's heart. Kerchak had renounced any respect he held for him and completely disowned him in the eyes of his adoptive family. The ape man stared at his hands, trembling with guilt and sorrow, before scurrying out of the wasteland and into the sea of green, condemned to never show his presence among the gorillas again.

Kala let out a deep sigh as she watched her son disappear into the sunset. She knew this could happen and what needed to be done. There was no going back now.


In a treetop overlooking the jungle in its entirety, Tarzan stared at the river connecting to the sea where the ship rested in silence, the silhouette of the behemoth reflected by the sun's rays. He knew that Jane and the others would depart first thing in the morning. Though he was deeply upset over the chain of recent chains, he was also in doubt about what he should do. There was a terrible feeling inside him that stopped him from trying to choose between staying in the jungle or abandoning it for a life in the civilized world. Deciding a better future was the hardest part. He had never felt more trapped inside a labyrinth of right and wrong, never wished so intensely for anything...

"I'm so confused," Tarzan admitted to himself, when he heard Kala approaching her.

Kala understood his pain. It was time for her to play her part in solving this dilemma. "Meet me at the tree house. There's something I should've shown you long ago."


Author's Note:
I think that's the largest chapter I have ever written! It took me a lot of time and a lot of effort to revise, but the battle with Wrecker is finally complete. Stay tuned for the final part in the Deep Jungle Arc, when Wendy and Tarzan prepare for a final showdown with Clayton, a member of the villains' council. This is TheSavageMan100, signing out. And in the words of the Foretellers, "May your heart be your guiding key." Peace!