Author's Note:
Happy New Year, everybody! TheSavageMan100 is back after another hiatus of brainstorming and hard work and stuff like that, and the highly-anticipated new chapter to the Olympus Coliseum arc has come into play. Thank goodness I was able to post it before Kingdom Hearts III releases internationally. I'm so happy I could cry with joy, it makes me wish I had a birthday in January 29. "For life and light, together we fight." What a cool slogan! "Fear My Fears", the opening song, sounds like Cash Cash on an orchestra. And the new original world, Scala ad Caelum, is epic and beautiful as frick! I want this game right now! Anyway, our next chapter begins with Wendy and her friends fighting another dark guild for the custody of another Fairy Tail wizard, and it will take place in the second tournament, the Pegasus Cup. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the chapter...
Second District
Time had passed since the Gummi Ship crashed into the Second District and Pinocchio became a real boy in light of his bold, courageous act. What could have been a tragic accident with the ex-puppet himself as the victim was not lost on the town's citizens, hence explaining why yesterday was spent on reconstructing the streets. The group's sole method of interstellar travel was heavily damaged when it was salvaged from the rubble, and had been placed behind the main gate to receive proper maintenance. Cid Highwind took it upon himself to fix the ship as a favor for Wendy and her friends, who had to stay for the night at the hotel and recover from the recent string of events. Donald previously suggested that repairing such an expensive and delicate vessel would take days, but thanks to Cid's unrivaled expertise in gummi blocks, the process merely lasted a total of twelve hours. The Gummi Ship was completely fixed the next morning, and the heroes would depart for the next world as soon as they were prepared.
"Wow, I can't believe it took just a whole night for Cid to get our ship back into shape! Seriously, if he's a top-notch engineer, what degree did he get? Has he hit the books and studied a lot?" Sherria wondered aloud, taking a bite out of a slice of cake. It had been one short hour since the tech wizard in question informed Wendy and company of the Gummi Ship's maintenance and eventual restoration, no charge as always. But the group wouldn't resume the quest on an empty stomach; they still hadn't finished their breakfast. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Juvia spent a significant amount of munny for a buffet in a table fit for a crowd at the local restaurant. Levy, Lisanna, Elfman, and the Connells had already left for the First District, leaving the seven as the only customers digging in the delicious foods.
"Maybe he's learned how to do it all based on personal experience," Romeo's mouth was stuffed with chicken, and his words came out slightly garbled but easy to understand. "That's the thing with most guys in magical guilds like us. You learn much, you grow fast." He swallowed the food in one gulp, "I mean, it's like Cid's the best mechanic in the universe because there's no tool he can't use, right?"
"What about Chip and Dale?" Donald waved his spoon. "They're the best mechanics, too. Cid can't be the only one who's good at fixing things, you know."
"Yes, that would make perfect sense if they had been with us the entire trip," Carla sipped her cup of tea. "But I suppose they could not at their position. But they still provide help with their analysis on any world we visit."
"That's why they're our navigators," Goofy licked a scoop of ice cream. "Who wouldn't know how those worlds work than our pals Chip and Dale?"
"Couldn't argue with that," Donald shrugged. "Whatever the case, the Gummi Ship's primed up and ready to fly again." His smile widened, "But we can't leave right away! I haven't even started chowing down on my dessert!" Seeing that his hot chocolate soufflé had been cooled enough for his taste buds to savor, he dipped his spoon into the egg-based dish and took a slurp.
"Speaking of which, there's something I've been meaning to tell you since we got out of the whale," Juvia implied. A moment to look around at the people in the table, then she continued, "I decided to work with you full-time as a member of your team. I will gladly help you reunite the Fairy Tail guild and crush the ambitions of the villains responsible. You've had my back during the whole fiasco with Monstro, and now it's my turn." Hearts suddenly flashed into her eyes as she clasped her hands together and began to fantasize. "Oh, what fortune! This is going to be a golden opportunity! For once, I get to play the role of the heroine in this tale, with my darling Gray as the damoiseau in distress, lost somewhere in a world where he's probably held hostage by scoundrels the likes of Sleepy Hollow and the Heartless!" The passion blazed hotter than ever, "If I follow the trail to the ends of the universe and save Gray from whatever terrible fate had befallen him, he'll hold me in his arms, gaze into my eyes, and speak those sweet words that I longed to hear!"
"Awwww!" Goofy and Sherria cooed in unison. "That's so sweet!"
"You haven't changed one bit," Carla remarked. "Even after our world was destroyed and our guild was scattered, your desire to be with Gray still burns in your heart." She then sighed to herself, "Let's just hope it leads to a more positive outcome..."
"I'm sure he's fine, Juvia," Romeo assured. "After all, he's the toughest ice wizard around. One of Fairy Tail's best!"
"He certainly is," Juvia agreed. "Although I must say that is an understatement. Gray is the most gorgeous man whose eyes shine brighter than the sun, they make the sun itself turn jealous and refuse to come out from behind the clouds, knowing it cannot shine as bright. He's just as radiant as the ice he makes!"
"How much do you miss your boyfriend, Juvia?" Goofy asked.
"Very much!" Juvia exclaimed. "However, I wouldn't exactly call him my 'boyfriend'." She performed an air quote to make her point, "But I sure wish he was! My feelings for Gray constantly fall on deaf ears ever since I laid eyes on him! I prayed that if I tried hard enough, then maybe, just maybe, he'd love me in return. For that reason, I joined Fairy Tail."
"Gray didn't notice you at all?" Sherria questioned. "He never even talked to you?"
"Oh, he did, alright. In many instances than one," Juvia clarified. "But to be perfectly honest, he sees me as more of a friend than a lover, especially when I was there for him during life-threatening situations." Her cheeks reddened at her next statement, "Still, a mere glimpse of his presence was enough to make my skin boil. I'm sorry, but I couldn't help myself! He's just so HOT!"
"Oh, boy!" Donald licked his soufflé, not paying attention to Juvia's dilemma. "That is one tasty dish."
"I'll say," Juvia sniffled. "That hunk of a man is the potion to my recipe, and the big pond is my oven. The thought of being a raw fish in an empty pond is like my heart was taken by the tide. I appreciate your words of understanding, Donald."
"Hey, I wasn't talking to you," Donald gave the Rain Woman an odd look. "I'm complementing this chocolate egg-dish. The creamy feeling never has lumps."
"A-hyuck, if you love Gray so much, why dontcha tell him how ya feel?" Goofy suggested. "All he needs is a little southern hospitality."
"Yeah!" Sherria nodded. "You could set up a romantic dinner date, or go through the tunnel of love, or sit in a tree under the stars. Better yet, do all three in one package! The tunnel of love dinner date on a tree in outer space with Gray!"
"What? N-No!" Juvia shook her head politely. "You know the rules! It's the man's job to set up the date, not the woman. But the idea of a romantic getaway in the far reaches of space with Gray does sound very intriguing... Wouldn't it be great if all those things happened in real life? If they did, I would be absolutely delighted."
"Gray's a Fairy Tail wizard like you, ain't he?" Goofy asked, to which Juvia responded with a nod. "Just how hot of a hunk is that guy? And what's your reason for goin' gaga over him?"
"Well, it all started when I saw a handsome prince, one among a valiant army that faced the wrath of a mechanical giant," Juvia began. "You see, I wasn't always a Fairy Tail wizard..."
Not long after, the Rain Woman had immersed herself in a pleasant conversation with Goofy and Sherria, her thoughts and deep-seated affections for the Ice-Make wizard being passed around. From his side of the table, Romeo simply chuckled. "She sure has a way with words. The party's getting more and more lively every day, huh, Wendy?" He turned to the Sky Maiden for an answer when he heard none.
Wendy just stared at her plate in silence, feeling rather glum. Vivid images of the destruction and insanity before Monstro sneezed kept flashing through her mind, and she tried desperately to remember if she had somehow overlooked a few things. Although the group had escaped the whale's wrath and saved Pinocchio, her mind was unsound.
"Wendy?" Romeo asked again. "What's wrong?"
"You've been rather docile since this morning," Carla pointed out. "Is something the matter?"
"Come on, Wendy! Eat up!" Donald urged. "We gotta save up our energy for the next big trip."
Still no response. Wendy was trembling deep inside, her mind still haunted by her previous encounter with Kaze. Her fingers gripped the tablecloth, and her eyes refused to leave the food she barely touched. The sadness and confusion was apparent on her face and, upon seeing it, Romeo and Carla fell silent. Donald was confused between eating what remained of his chocolate soufflé, looking at the two as though he expected them to give their sayings in the matter, but neither of them said a word.
"Kaze..." Wendy finally spoke. Although her voice was barely over a whisper, it was clear enough for Romeo and Carla to hear.
"Kaze?" Romeo wondered. "What about her?"
"You're lucky to be alive after that lunatic gave you such a wallop," Donald snickered. "She had that coming! Kaze's probably floating in outer space after Monstro sneezed us out, or she's still trapped in that big palooka's belly. Well, serves her right."
"Donald, I don't believe that's the case," Carla pondered the words she was about to say, then turned to Wendy. "You faced Kaze... and then confirmed her as the girl you have no memory of in your past, didn't you? Is she truly the perfect fit?"
Wendy felt the flame of conflict fanning up in her chest. There was no point in holding it back, seeing as the circle of friends around her understood the measure of her plight. She responded only after clearing her throat, "I know it sounds hard to believe, but Kaze, she... She freaked out when I mentioned Grandeeney..."
"She WHAT?!" Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Goofy overheard the revelation and suddenly darted from their seats. Juvia stopped mid-sentence and whipped her head around in shock, putting her discussion about Gray on hold. Donald was also flabbergasted, nearly choking on his soufflé.
"Grandeeney?" Sherria blinked. "You're saying that Kaze went crazy when you mentioned the name of your dragon? Is that what happened when we're still inside the whale?"
"Yeah, I mean, as far as I could tell," Wendy looked down, her brows knit with worry. "I wanted to know for sure if Kaze's anything like the girl I can't remember, the one I've seen in my dreams. But when I mentioned Grandeeney, she suddenly went crazy and lost control of her magic..."
"Whoa... That explains a lot," Romeo breathed.
"So Monstro sneezed because Kaze lost her cool?" Donald asked.
"What about you? You lose your cool, for like, most of the time!" Sherria pointed out.
"No, I don't," Donald denied.
"So you say..." Sherria teased.
"That's not all," Wendy continued. "She kept screaming at me, demanding over and over why I said Grandeeney's name. But..." She struggled to make her words come out, "...I wanted to ask her myself. Why did she say her name? As if she knows who Grandeeney is..."
"First she calls herself a Dragon Slayer, then she goes go ballistic at the mention of Grandeeney, the dragon who raised you?!" Sherria exclaimed. "What a major breakthrough! Looks like the proof is in the pudding!"
"Hold on!" Carla interrupted. "We cannot simply assume that Grandeeney had something to do with the connection between them. The way I see it, Wendy's hidden memories are yet to be fully restored."
"The mistress of misdeeds is really a girl from Wendy's past?" Juvia questioned. "It beggars belief. It really does..."
"It's true!" Wendy asserted. "I heard it loud and clear! She said Grandeeney's name right after I said it!"
"Was I the only one who didn't know of your bearing?" Juvia gasped. "I never imagined you would be related at some point to the femme fatale with freakish dark magic that could've blown up the whale from the inside out and us along with it." She walked over to Wendy and took hold of her hand. "It must have been a bad call for you, dearest Wendy. You've been struggling to remember a past you can't recall. You have my sympathy." With that said, the Rain Woman knelt on one knee to kiss Wendy's hand, causing her to blush. "This one's for a troubled soul such as yourself. I'm saving a million more for my beloved Gray when I find him."
"Uh, sure," Wendy said softly. "No problem."
"Kaze's the mystery girl Wendy talked about, isn't she?" Goofy asked Donald. "All those clues we keep gettin' from Wendy's dreams, callin' herself a Dragon Slayer, and sayin' Grandeeney's name..."
"That'd be my guess," Donald nodded. "Wendy just remembered a girl but saw her and Kaze as the exact same thing! What's even more confusing are the clues adding up to this puzzle. She must be really desperate to know who the other girl is. It made me wanna help her even more."
"Me too!" Goofy agreed. "We're all in this together. Until we find answers, let's keep on questin'. Yup, we owe it to Wendy to find her friends and bring back her missin' memories. Besides, we can't have her mope all the time, can we? She's so cute when she smiles! It makes us warm deep inside to see her smile."
"You said it," Donald agreed. "Somebody's gotta remind her over how this boat runs, for like, the fourth time!"
Once the private discussion was over and done with, Donald and Goofy walked over to Wendy with wide smiles, eager to cheer her up. The captain of the guard spoke first, "Y'know, what you said back there about Kaze sayin' the name of your dragon got us thinkin'. She's probably known more about your past than you do. Maybe that's why you've forgotten."
Wendy asked curiously, "So she knows everything?"
Donald replied, "We're trying to figure that out, so why don't you stop worrying too much? You just need to keep a positive attitude and build a bridge over your problem. We always do."
Romeo didn't want to be left out of the friendly matter and decided to join in. "He's right, Wendy. You can't remember much about that girl, but I'm pretty sure the rest of your memories are coming back to you any minute now. Whether it's Kaze or someone else, it doesn't matter. We're gonna help you remember that girl, even if it takes forever. And honestly, I'd like to meet her myself if she's out there." He also advanced towards her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We got this."
Sherria followed suit and patted the Sky Maiden's back. "Why are you still down in the dumps? It's only a matter of time before everything comes full circle, anyway. We'll see it through together, trust me. Everything will be fine." Carla and Juvia nodded in agreement.
As Wendy looked at the bright faces of her friends, a small smile crept her face. She slowly reached up and felt Romeo's hand on her shoulder, feeling a new strength in herself. She turned to Donald and asked, "Since when was the first time you cheered up when things looked bleak for you?"
Donald sweated, "Um, er... Just some personal experience, that's all. None of your business."
Goofy pointed out, "Anger management. A-hyuck!"
Donald frowned at Goofy, "No, it's not!"
Sherria grinned, "Then why are you angry right now?"
Donald stomped his webbed foot in frustration and quacked, "NO, I'M NOT!" He then realized his mistake and covered his beak in embarrassment.
Carla sighed, "Only a minute since Donald helped ease Wendy's troubles, and he throws a tantrum the next."
Sherria wagged her finger, "Temper, temper!"
Donald tried to explain, "No, no, no, no! I was just..." Unfortunately for him, the rest of the group had already burst into fits of laughter directed at his expense. That slight humiliation provided a little incentive to regret having snapped earlier. "Oh, brother."
Wendy couldn't stop herself from giggling at the rapid transition from gloom to happiness. Her cheery friends would always be there to distract her troubled mind, and was delighted to have them by her side if needed. The laughter soon died down, and she looked back with confidence. "Thanks to you guys, I'm feeling better already." She caressed Romeo's hold on her shoulder. He himself was soothed by the silky touch, reminding him of the heated confrontation before the Parasite Cage stormed Monstro's stomach. "And I'm not done yet. Kaze knows the truth. About my past, about Grandeeney, about everything. I have to try... No, I must!" That was the response the other six expected to hear. They cheered at her determination.
"Now that's the Wendy I know," Romeo grinned. "You got your smile back."
"Well, you were there for me back then," Wendy beamed. "And because of that, I owe you a lot."
The Sky Dragon Slayer's immense praise caught Romeo off guard and left him without a witty response. He released the hold on her shoulder and coughed on any words he had planned to say, instead laughing abashedly. He didn't know why such a sweet compliment would make him blush.
"Mr. Duck?" A voice called out to Donald, pulling him from the respite. He noticed the waiter carrying a glass bowl in a tray. "Your second dessert, sir."
"Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!" An ecstatic Donald wasted no time returning to his seat with a knife and fork in both hands. "One more for me!"
"A second dessert?" Carla blinked. "What kind of appetite does he have?"
"I suppose he'll do anything to keep his spirits raised," Juvia remarked. "If he and Goofy are indeed loyal friends and would do everything in their power to help, they have my respect as well."
"Your sweet gray pickled plums, sir. Bon appétit." Only when the new dish was introduced and served in front of Donald did the waiter depart for the next table.
"Wait! Did he just order—" Carla's face fell with shock.
"Oh, no..." Sherria sweated nervously.
"P-P-P-P-Pickled plums?!" Wendy squeaked out at the sight of Donald's second dessert, a dreaded reminder of her intolerance for sour foods. It was easy to see why she refused to eat even a single plum, but watching someone eat was all the more nauseating, she couldn't stop herself from puckering up her mouth. And she did! By the time she witnessed Donald take a bite of his first plum, she couldn't take it anymore. Terror struck her heart, and she fainted from the stress of watching pickled plums being eaten before her eyes.
"Wendy!" Thankfully, Goofy caught her in his arms before she hit the floor. Carla, Sherria, and Romeo hastily approached the unconscious Sky Maiden, trying to bring her back to her senses.
The shock and anxiety didn't last when the white Exceed turned to Donald with an angry expression. "Pickled plums? Of all things, your second dessert had to be PICKLED PLUMS?!"
He had just finished eating three plums when Donald quirked an eyebrow at Carla. "What's wrong with that? They're juicy and delicious! Be thankful it's not the sour kind."
Sherria reminded, "Um, Donald, what you ate in front of Wendy, she doesn't like very much. She's terrified to even look at them. I remember that time at Lamia Scale's Thanksgiving Festival when she totally fainted at the sight of them during the banquet! To her, they're a living nightmare!"
Donald asked dryly, "Wendy hates pickled plums? Well, you'd hate 'em, too, if they're as sour as lemons! You should be careful with what you eat, you know!"
Romeo argued, "But we didn't order it from the menu!" She looked at the rest of the group to ask their opinion, "Did we?" They just stared back at him blankly.
Donald groaned, "Sheesh! Relax! It's just a order I made for myself. I didn't know Wendy's scared of that kind of food. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Carla sighed in annoyance, "How unfortunate."
Sherria admitted, "Okay, maybe we should've reminded you about Wendy's unfavorite foods. I already told you mine."
Donald shrugged, "Whatever. It's her loss. Since Wendy doesn't like pickled plums, I'm already enjoying mine." Another plum was already in his beak, and he chewed it while savoring the taste. "Mm-mmm! Sweet gray pickled plums are the best!"
"Sweet Gray?" Juvia immediately eavesdropped on the royal court magician uttering the name of his second dessert, and perceived those words as an affectionate nickname towards the love of her life. But it should have been her saying that, not Donald! She let her emotions flare up into an inferno of passion and desire that burned deep inside, and most of all, jealousy for the duck who stole her idea. "SWEEEEEEET GRAAAAAYYYYY!" Juvia wanted to vent her frustrations on Donald for trying to replace Gray in her heart, but she was too emotional to act; something else captivated her otherwise. She cried a waterfall of tears produced by her Water Magic, which grew into a river that spread throughout the floor and eventually the whole restaurant! "I MISS YOOOOOOOUUUUUU!" Juvia paid no attention to the customers, the employees, and even her friends rocking to and fro in a watery cradle littered by tables and food. She had unknowingly thrown the restaurant in a state of panic with the stream she literally cried out.
Seconds later, the elevation had grown so extreme to the point of turning the building itself into a tank full of people, but the worst case scenario turned false when the windows and main door blew up, allowing the stream to pour out into the street, thus receding the flood. People by the dozens floated away along with the fading tide, Wendy and company included. Fortunately, no one ever found out who was responsible for ruining what used to be a thriving cafeteria. If they had, an insurmountable debt higher than the food bill would be placed on the heroes.
And here they were, lying on the wet concrete, baffled and disoriented. Juvia was still weeping for Gray, except her tears were less endangering. Wendy, who remained in a coma throughout the disaster, wrapped in Goofy's warm bosom. Donald, with three pickled plums stuck in his beak. Romeo, who sat up after a cough. Sherria, who shook her head in slight pain. Carla, who shook her fur.
"Uh..." Romeo asked, looking at his friends. "Anyone still hungry?"
"Nah. I'm not hungry anymore," Sherria shrugged nonchalantly.
"Yeah, we're good," Goofy agreed.
"That'll do," Carla muttered.
Donald spat out the soaked pickled plums from his mouth and applied a knuckle to his cheek while lying on the ground, upset at how the group's breakfast turned out. "Aww, nuts."
Hotel
Inside the hotel room they rented yesterday, everyone took time to dry themselves off after a hectic conclusion to what once was a pleasant meal. Wendy had awoken from her coma shortly after the only conscious members of her team hoisted her over to their room, and noticed there wasn't a single pickled plum in sight, much to her absolute relief. They gave her the rundown of what happened at the end of their breakfast, about Juvia accidentally engulfing the restaurant in a sea of tears, and the pickled plums gone away in the aftermath. However, they left out any mention of Donald ordering the nasty fruit, instead assuring Wendy that it was only a dream, adding to her solace. More importantly, no one was to blame for the incident, as if it never happened at all. Now that breakfast was over and done with, Wendy and her friends were about to resume their quest, filled with energy and nourishment. But before they could depart, there were a few matters that needed taking care of, starting with the present amount of Dalmatian puppies rescued, as well as the second torn page and the sapphire Summon Gem uncovered in Monstro's belly. As of right now, the priceless stone was the last matter on the subject.
"Before we went off to face Kaze, you found a new Summon Gem in its primitive state amid the shipwrecks, did you not?" Carla asked Wendy.
"That means we have another friend besides Simba for your Summon Magic," Sherria ascertained. "Who's it gonna be this time? Maybe it's a bear from the jungle who boogies a lot and puts enemies to sleep with his dance moves!"
"Or a dog who blows everything away with a single bark and has indestructible skin and super speed? You know, like in the comics?" Romeo suggested.
"How about a knight in shining armor? Oh, or a huge living stuffed animal that's cuddly and rough at the same time? I hope it is!" Wendy beamed.
"Per chance, it might be my beloved Gray! He must be trapped in that stone, cursed by an evil witch, and it requires true love's kiss to break the spell!" Juvia fantasized. When she expected the collective reactions of her friends, she only received nonplussed stares in return. "What? I'm only guessing."
"Anyway, we'd better bring this to the Fairy Godmother. She'll bring back whoever's inside," Wendy affirmed, holding onto the stone. "Honestly, I'm curious to see who my new summon's gonna be."
"Don't forget the doggies!" Goofy reminded. "We saved a few, so why not give what we've got to their mom and dad first? They miss their kids very much. You know what they say, another pup, another gummi. Yup, the more gummis we have, we can fix our ship again in half the time."
"Yeah, that too," Wendy nodded. "Pongo and Perdita wants to see the whole family reunited. We can't let them down. Now let's—"
"Wait! Before we get started on delivering the goods, I have something for us," Donald interjected, and he reached behind his backside to produce a familiar item. "Voilà!"
"A Magic Orb!" Wendy recognized the object in Donald's hand, colored white and emanating a mysterious aura where time had come to a standstill.
"Not just any Magic Orb, a Stop Magic Orb," Donald clarified. "I found it at a wrecked ship somewhere in Monstro's big mouth."
"Stop Magic Orb?" Wendy wondered. "What does it do?"
"It gives us Stop," Donald explained. "It's an advanced spell that can freeze nearby targets from moving for a short amount of time, as the name suggests. Get it? Stop?" He laughed to himself at the joke he made, but found no one laughing along. He cleared his throat and continued regardless, "And that's not even the best part. The best part is, a Stopped enemy will receive all damage inflicted once the effect wears off! We can give the bad guys twice the pain while they're Stopped!"
"Stop?" Wendy echoed. "You mean, we can freeze time?"
"Only the target's," Donald corrected. "But it has a time limit depending on how powerful the spell is, so we have to use it wisely. So, what do you think?"
"Why not? We can use Stop to take advantage over tougher baddies. Let's give it a whirl the next time we see them," Wendy smiled. With a single touch, the Stop Magic Orb flowed into the Keyblade and Donald's staff, thus becoming the eighth slot in their collection of elemental spells. "I'm starting to think my Keyblade Magic is as good as Donald's now."
"That's right," Donald grinned proudly. "But everybody knows that no magic in the universe is better than mine, not in a million years."
"Oh, please," Carla rolled her eyes. "Having's delusions of grandeur again, Donald?"
"Hey, don't get jealous 'cause I'm right!" Donald retorted. "I'm the best magician ever!"
"Really?" Carla raised an eyebrow. "If I recall correctly, you tried to destroy that pillar with every spell you had and failed in the end. Was that the workings of the best magician ever?"
"Hey, I was warming up," Donald argued. "It's the pillar's fault, not mine."
"Sure it is," Sherria snickered, as Wendy and Romeo joined in.
"Why don't you go see Merlin?" Goofy suggested. "Work more on your magic and train a lot?"
"I don't need more training!" Donald scoffed. "I'm a master magician, and I can do very well on my own—"
The door suddenly flew open, then Elfman and Lisanna came flooding in with the communication lacrima entrusted to them by Mirajane, which had long begun to vibrate and glow. "Wendy! There you are!"
Romeo turned to the siblings, "Lisanna? Elfman?"
Wendy shared his concerns, "What's the matter?"
Lisanna panted slightly as she doubled over, sticking out the shining crystal. "It's Mira! She wants to talk to you!"
Elfman added with a macho flare, "Another manly message for the manly team! What's all the commotion about this time? Some new secrets on how to break up the evil band? Or more missing in our guild? Either way, it's urgent!"
Wendy's eyes widened in surprise, "Mira? Okay, let's hear it!" She took the lacrima and scanned the ripples forming on the light's surface. The rest of the group gathered round to catch a glimpse. "Mira, are you there?"
The waves of light encompassing the crystal's exterior soon passed to reveal the image of Mirajane. Her expression portrayed a mixture of gladness and concern for the resistance opposing the reign of the Alliance of Evil, as always. "Hi, Wendy! I hear you loud and clear, and in case you've been wondering, please know that I'm fine. It looks like you've made a lot of progress since I last talked to you. I heard the Alliance of Evil lost another council member, and the number of dark guilds at their disposal is dwindling by the minute." Her smile widened, "Well, what a surprise! Taking down the villains is just a walk in the park when someone from Fairy Tail steps in. They should know better than to underestimate us."
Carla commented, "Knowing you, you're probably aware of what we've been doing in other worlds."
Mirajane nodded, "As a matter of fact, yes. I heard everything from Maleficent and her crew while I'm in their custody. Have you found some more missing Fairy Tail members?"
Wendy answered, "Well, there's Levy, who's at the First District with Mr. and Mrs. Connell. Juvia's here with us."
Juvia edged over to examine Mirajane's image on the crystal. "I'm here! And I'm sure you're very concerned about me as well as the others, but as you can imagine, here I am, safe and sound, all thanks to Wendy and her valiant group of Fairy Tail wizards plus Disney Kingdom explorers. That's the name of the world you live in, is it not?" When she turned to Donald and Goofy for an answer, they nodded in response. She turned back to the lacrima, "It's so good to see you again after such a long absence, Mirajane."
Mirajane smiled back, "Much obliged, Juvia. I'm happy to see you as well. Lately, I've dreamt about our days back at the guild." As she reminisced the good times before the wrath of the dark guilds rained down upon Fairy Tail, she relished the memories with a deep sigh. "Oh, where has the time gone? I hope we'll spend those carefree days again once we're all reunited..."
Elfman agreed, "Same here. The victory party will be non-stop once the whole gang's back together."
Lisanna beamed, "Oh, let's invite Donald and Goofy sometime after this! They'll definitely enjoy our guild's hospitality." She turned to the two Disney heroes and asked their opinion, "What do you think? Will you be interested?"
Donald grinned, "Well, whatever party you got planned when everything's over and done with sounds pretty nice..."
Goofy suggested, "But we still gotta finish our mission first. The Heartless and bad guys are still runnin' loose."
Lisanna complied, "Of course. We still have work to be done."
Elfman affirmed, "A man's work is never done, as they say."
Juvia asked eagerly, "Aside from that, where's Gray? Is he with you? If he is, could you please let me speak with him? I miss him terribly! How I longed to see his precious, wonderful, adorable, loveable face again! Just the sight of his handsome visage is enough to make me squeal with joy!"
Donald and Carla muttered out loud, "There she goes again."
Mirajane sighed sadly, "I wish he was. Unfortunately, I don't know where Gray's gone off to. He must've stumbled into another world, pretty much like the lucky few you've found. Sorry, Juvia."
Donald grumbled, "Tough luck, lady."
Juvia moaned in anguish, "It's not fair! Why does the wheel of fortune always deny me the chance of seeing my one true love?"
Donald rolled his eyes, "Geez, you're such a drama queen. When are you going to stop overreacting and take a breather? Things will turn around in the end."
Goofy put a comforting hand around her shoulder, "Don't be sad, Juvia. I'm sure Gray's restin' out there in the next world. We'll find him, and we won't stop till we do."
Juvia wiped a single tear from her eye, "Oh, Goofy, you are so reassuring. I'll never forget this."
Donald interjected, "What about me? I was trying to cheer you up, too. What am I, chopped liver?"
Juvia shrugged, "At least you put up an effort, if not greater."
Mirajane apologized, "I'm really sorry Gray isn't here with me. But don't fret, because there's someone else in the guild who is at this time. He's very anxious to see you all, especially you, Wendy."
Wendy wondered, "Really? Who is it?"
"WEEEEENNNNDDDDDDY!" Taking Mirajane's place was the face of a teary-eyed Exceed of blue fur pressing his cheeks against the glass. The drama he experienced from losing Natsu before their world's end prompted him to let his emotions run loose, even in the presence of a member representing Fairy Tail's strongest team. He wiped his tears after less than a minute of letting it out, then went on with a wide smile, "Wendy, it's you! It's about time I'm looking at someone I haven't seen in a while! I'm super-excited I get to see you again! I really am!"
Wendy herself was surprised to notice him, as were her other teammates. And then came the cheers and excitement. "HAPPY!" Taking comfort in knowing Happy was alive and well, the party immediately went back into full swing, celebrating in honor of Natsu's trusty winged partner. The only one who seemed unable to attend was Carla, who was overcome with intense shock at the sight of her fellow Exceed, and for good reason; until now, his whereabouts remained in question prior to Sleepy Hollow's departure with the captured Fairy Tail wizards. Every muscle in her body was petrified, and her eyes dilated with incredulity.
"Wow, you're all excited to see me too, huh?" Happy remarked. "There's no starting the homecoming without me, if I was actually there. Is there fish involved?"
"Oh, Happy! I'm so glad you're okay!" Wendy was likewise delighted to see him. "The Alliance of Evil caught you, too?"
"Aye, that was a crazy night," Happy confessed. "Not just me, but most of the guild's dragged along for a not-so-special trip to outer space, while the rest flew the coop. What do you think happened to 'em? Did they rest up until they have the strength to find their own way out? I haven't even seen Gray or Lucy among the crowd!" He then turned his attention to Romeo, "Oh, hey, Romeo. Been a while since you left for the circus."
"Hey, Happy! Long time no see," Romeo smiled, waving at the crystal. "Mirajane must've filled you in on the details while we're out there busting our tails. How long have you been holding out?"
"Juicy lot! And that's not even the best part, either," Happy stated. "It was right after Kaze and her cronies ransacked Fairy Tail, and before I went face-to-face with the ringleader." He cleared his throat and began to narrate his personal experiences, "I've been looking out the window while being put aboard one of their spaceships, and saw a fleet with ships looking exactly like the one I flew in. Who built those things, anyway? They look like building blocks to me."
"A gummi ship fleet?" Donald and Goofy guessed out loud.
"Then, as I turned a corner in the engine room, I was stunned as a sardine to see a huge stash of stolen priceless stuff from the Onibus museum!" Happy continued. "And even more shocking, dark guilds have been plotting together with Sleepy Hollow right under our noses! I heard it all from the pilots, and the list goes on, from Poacher Fang to Desert Cobra to Neptune Trident." He placed a paw on his head for dramatic effect to the narrative, "I couldn't believe it! The bad guys are actually a Balam Alliance 2.0? I was so surprised that by the time I reacted, the goons already had me covered. Then, they threw me into a small cage surrounded by a pack of drooling black creepy crawlies called the Heartless. They fit the title pretty well. And the next thing I knew, I was playing pirate with a captain with a hook for a hand, and finally the boss lady herself, My Lily Scent. She's—" Happy was cut off when Sherria and Donald started laughing out loud.
"My Lily Scent?!" Sherria exclaimed. "That's the best thing I've heard all day! I've got to remember that one."
"Me too!" Donald followed. "That sounded hilarious! Somebody's gotta write that one down!"
Goofy and Wendy were chuckling by Happy's wrongful pronunciation of Maleficent's name as well, until Mirajane cleared the air. "Just for the record, it's 'Maleficent'."
"I know that," Happy confirmed. "It's kinda hard for me to pronounce the name right. Anyway, guys..." He turned his focus back to the group, "...can you imagine the horrible things I've seen? Pirate ships in space? Heart-eating freaks? Nine princesses for a super-secret ritual?! This is nuts!"
"Good thing you're not the only one who thinks that way," Sherria pointed out. "At least, until we get used to it as time goes by."
"They're tough nuts to crack, these guys," Happy stated. "Or in my case, tough fish with solid scales to munch on. The only bearable thing about this whole mess is that someone from the bunch is here with me the entire trip. I'm one of the lucky ones. I'm a survivor." He referred to Mirajane, who nodded with a smile. "I wonder how long it's gonna take before the pirate ship reaches who knows where? Still, when I see you, I'm even more happy as a clam, and that's my name. Aye!"
"Same here," Wendy smiled warmly. "I've been thinking about you since we've been separated. We've always been together. I know Carla feels the same way."
"Carla?" A look of ecstasy crossed Happy's face. "She's with you?"
Before he could proceed any further, the camel's back was broken, or however Carla supposed that saying went. "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!" she demanded angrily at the top of her lungs.
"Yikes!" Happy recoiled at the sudden outburst. "Guess I spoke too soon!"
"Do you have any idea how worried I am for you, you silly tomcat?!" Carla grabbed the lacrima from Wendy and shook it furiously. "I've been looking everywhere for you!"
"C-Carla, what's gotten into you?" Happy asked nervously.
"Shut up!" Carla realized when the words came out of her mouth, it would probably make the people around her feel nervous. She didn't care, she just wanted to express her anger out of worry. "YOU listen to ME! Our world disappeared, the guild was split apart, and we had to conduct a search throughout the universe on a spaceship! Of all the people who were suddenly abducted by thugs and hooligans, why did it have to be you?!" She kept on scolding him like an ignorant student, and the group remained silent. "What happened to you? What am I to do with you? Where have you been all this time?! Tell me! TELL ME! What could have..." A deep shuddering breath stopped her rant. She was running out of steam, hoping desperately that her point was being made, before her anger melted into sorrow.
"Hey, don't be mad," Happy said innocently. "If you want me to apologize—"
"It's not that," Carla shook her head, her voice choking a little from emotion. "I thought you were lost forever, and now you're back. Do you have any idea what that means to me?" She sank to her knees with the lacrima still in her paws, tears brimming over her eyes and spilling onto the glass. "To see you here, alive and breathing, it's all just so..."
"Hey, I've seen you look worse," Happy smiled at her. "Besides, you actually look kinda pretty when you cry. If I could have a different magic right now, it would be the trick to crawl through this lacrima a gave you a big hug." He reached for his back and pulled out a fish wrapped in a bow. "You want tuna with that? It's still fresh."
Carla couldn't tell if he was being sincere or just trying to make her feel better. Regardless, a small grin formed on her face, and she wiped away the tears. "Oh, Happy. You haven't changed at all. Nonetheless, I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Carla," Happy's smile widened. "Not a day goes by when I haven't thought about you."
The rest of the group watched the emotional scene unfold between the two Exceeds. Wendy, on the other hand, imagined the possibility of someone else besides Mirajane. Only then, would her concerns end. Her train of thought was interrupted when Carla flew up and showed the communication lacrima for all to see, after spending a minute hugging the crystal with Happy comforted in the female Exceed's invisible bosom. "Now then, it would seem that we are close to reuniting the guild as ever," she determined. "What else do you know about the Alliance?"
"Word's been buzzing around the pirate ship lately," Happy replied. "I heard they sent the Poker Face dark guild on an errand at some other world called Olympus Coliseum."
"Olympus Coliseum?" Wendy gasped. Her friends shared the same reaction.
"That's their next target?" Carla blinked.
"You know, Olympus Coliseum's a fancy name for some place we haven't been to or whatever," Happy implied. "And when you say 'coliseum', it has a nice ring to the Grand Magic Games. Remember the time when Natsu dominated most of the matches? We saw how he floored the whole Scarmiglione guild with his new Dragon Slayer powers. All that advanced training really did the trick, like how he pulverized that giant sent by Avatar with a single punch!"
"That's Natsu for you," Lisanna giggled. "He does a lot of amazing things."
"I'd give it a solid eight," Elfman commented. "If not a manly ten."
"Wait..." Hearing Natsu's name was the cue. The Fire Dragon Slayer who vanished before Tenrou Island was ripped from the surface had long been a topic Wendy wanted to make come to light. The Exceed who had been closer to Natsu more than anyone may hold the answers, and that gave the sparkle in her eyes a longing glow. She boldly asked, "Where's Natsu?" Everyone immediately followed her hopeful expression.
Happy did not answer at first. Bit by bit, however, the joy transformed into grief. Wendy and company watched as the blue Exceed crossed his paws over his chest, his eyes on the verge of moistening as he began to confess the fate of his best friend. "Natsu, he's..."
"He's resting up in the ship's hold after enduring brutal torture from Maleficent's forces," Mirajane intervened on Happy's behalf, and stroked his cheek to console him. "It'll take some time before he heals completely from the wounds and scratches he received. He's too strong to let this stop him." A deep breath upon knowing the story she made up was a breeze to placate the group, then she continued, "I'm just glad he's alright."
"So he is alive!" Romeo exclaimed. "Kaze was wrong about him! I knew it!"
"Can we at least see him?" Wendy pleaded. "We wanna see if he's okay! Let him know we're here!"
"We can't," Mirajane shook her head. "The guards won't let us. They wouldn't give up their property so easily. No one is to come near him without the captain's consent or Maleficent's. That, and we'd blow our cover. But what matters is that Natsu is alive and pretty much well."
"Man..." Romeo's heart leaped with relief. "And to think I lost my temper and lashed out over what happened to him."
"Well, you still believed in him," Wendy pointed out. "We both did."
"Talk about your fixer-upper," Sherria remarked. "I mean, who would want to believe that Natsu fell ill because of some heart problem? He's probably exhausted from all the stress of fighting. I think that's what Kaze meant to say."
"Maybe you're right," Romeo smiled. "That's my bro for ya; he may be down for now, but he's definitely not out. He's gonna come back soon, and he'll fight back like he always does. Right, Wendy?" She turned to the Sky Maiden, "You stood up for me back then. And because of that, I owe you a lot."
"Oh, really?" Wendy began to giggle while her cheeks blushed red. "You're welcome, Romeo." The irony of that statement was a clear sign of the spark between the two. She then diverted her attention back to the lacrima, "Thanks for letting us know about Natsu. He's still okay, right?"
"It's not much, but we'll find a way to turn things around," Mirajane assured. "When I see Natsu, I'll inform him about you and how you've struggled. You can leave the rest to me and Happy."
A tear gently fell down Happy's whiskers before wiping it away, before the positive energy returned in full force. "Aye! Leave it to us!"
Though she didn't see through the emotional cracks before they were sealed, Carla expressed nothing but concern for Happy's troubles. "Happy..."
"By the way, you said something about a pirate ship," Wendy pointed out. "Are you actually..."
"Yes, that's right," Mirajane answered. "Happy and I are aboard the Jolly Roger, a pirate ship run by Captain Hook, one of the council members for the Alliance of Evil. The ship is being powered by a special kind of magic that allows it to fly and travel through space."
"But do you know what's the craziest thing about this ship?" Happy interjected. "We can breathe air while we're in the deck during space travel! And by deck, I mean, outside!"
"The deck? Outside? You mean..." Sherria blinked. "You can't lose oxygen?!"
"That sounds crazy!" Donald argued. "We always thought space is all empty air!"
"I know, right?" Happy agreed. "Don't we ever get to see somebody's head pop like a balloon?"
"They must've added an extra feature," Carla guessed. "It could be an invisible barrier full of oxygen."
"Whatever the reason, we can move around the Jolly Roger anywhere we like, whether we travel by sea or by space," Mirajane said. "But if we get thrown overboard, well..."
"Here comes the part where somebody's head pops like a balloon," Goofy dreaded.
"Aye..." Happy sighed.
"Where is the Jolly Roger heading to right now?" Wendy asked.
"Its current course is Neverland, Captain Hook's home world," Mirajane replied. "He's certain this is the one place where he'll find the last Princess of Heart."
"Princess of Heart?" Wendy's eyes widened. "They're still looking for the last one!"
"You know about them, too?" Mirajane assumed.
"From what scraps of information we learned from the villains, nine princesses are needed in order to unveil the final door," Carla explained. "Eight are currently in their possession."
"Just what exactly are the Princesses of Heart?" Wendy wondered.
"What are Maleficent's reasons for finding them?" Romeo added.
"And what does Jasmine and Alice have to do with her master plan? We've been looking for those two ever since they got spirited away," Sherria stated.
"You're very clever to figure out Maleficent's ultimate goal," Mirajane chuckled. "Now it's my turn to tell you what I know. Hopefully, this blend of information can give you a head start. That way, we can reverse all the damage they caused in one go. I hope..."
"Well, you certainly have delved deeper into the Alliance's secrets more than anyone despite being their prisoner," Carla implied. "Please, share us your knowledge." The rest of the group leaned closer for better hearing.
"As you're already aware, the Princesses of Heart are nine maidens in existence with hearts of the purest light, in which a single touch of darkness can never dispel." Mirajane narrated. "Maleficent believed that once all nine are brought together, a door will open to the heart of all worlds, where untold wisdom rests within. My guess is that opening the door requires the pure light of their hearts combined."
"Untold wisdom..." Wendy thought out loud. "Kaze told me that same story back at the Cave of Wonders."
"I knew something terrible is about to happen the moment I learned," Mirajane continued. "The Alliance of Evil plan to seize the hidden power within that secret door..." She added with grim certainty, "...and use it to take over the entire universe!"
"The universe?!" Wendy and her friends were caught off guard by the revelation. This was not going to end well not just for the heroes, but for every world as well, should the masterminds behind the plot succeed.
"So the punks who kidnapped our Fairy Tail friends..." Elfman growled.
"...are totally bent on dominating the whole universe?" Lisanna finished.
"Yeah, that about sums it up," Mirajane replied. "They're collecting the Princesses so they can open the secret door. They'll stop at nothing to find them, and even attacked innocent worlds. So far, they have eight, like you said. If they get their hands on the last one..."
"Then the door to the heart of all worlds will open," Carla confirmed.
"And the Alliance of Evil wins. Game over," Sherria dreaded.
"A short while ago, I learned the names of all the Princesses they acquired," Mirajane counted her fingers. "There's Snow White, Belle, Cinderella, Aurora..."
"Jasmine and Alice?" Goofy interjected.
"Uh-huh, like you said," Mirajane nodded.
"So it was their fault!" Donald frowned.
"What about the last two?" Juvia asked.
"They're from our world, actually. It had already been destroyed. You probably knew this, didn't you?" Mirajane asked, to which Wendy and company nodded. "The last two Princesses are..." She closed her eyes, unsure if her friends would comprehend her next statement. After a moment of silence, and seeing the anxious looks on their faces, she went on, "...Princess Hisui of the Fiore royal family..." Her voice was strained at uttering the last name, "...and Erza!"
That affected the group with even more shock and horror. "PRINCESS HISUI?! ERZA?!" Donald and Goofy were also astonished, as they examined the unsettling looks on their friends' faces.
Carla asked incredulously, "Our world housed two Princesses the entire time?"
Juvia rubbed her chin, "Well, no matter how you picture this, it seems fairly obvious that Hisue E. Fiore can be deemed worthy as a candidate; aside from her royal status, she is well known for her grace and beauty, adored by all who come to know her." She raised an eyebrow, "How unexpected... The dark guilds had planned everything perfectly, considering they had been under the employ of a band of otherworldly villains."
Lisanna protested, "Kidnapping the princess from our world was one thing, but a member of our guild?! They've gone too far!"
Elfman frowned, "All of a sudden, we found out that Erza's the hearty princess they were looking for and want her to fit into whatever unmanly scheme they're hatching..."
Wendy questioned, "Is this true, Mira? Erza and Hisui are Princesses of Heart?"
Sherria commented, "If they are, I guess that makes Hisui a two-time princess."
Mirajane replied, "Maleficent confirmed it. I saw them being taken to the grand hall and being put with the others for the upcoming ceremony. Apparently, they had been selected for their purity of heart and the light shining deep inside. Who am I to complain since those traits make them special? Like Juvia said before, Hisui has her grace and beauty. Erza, on the other hand, has bravery, integrity, grace under pressure, and above all, compassion that inspires others even in the darkest of times." She sighed out of curiosity, "Sometimes I wonder where she gets it from. It must've been the regal air worthy of a warrior princess. Still, there's no denying she's the perfect fit. They had her right where they want her."
Happy agreed, "They mean serious business! The dark guilds and the ones running the show obviously wouldn't want us to butt in. That's the thing with villains; they only know how to play dirty."
Juvia confirmed, "Good point, Happy. I suppose it all makes sense now."
Romeo wondered, "But how can we know for sure who's a Princess of Heart and who's not?"
Sherria nodded, "Yeah, I mean, a princess who's already a princess sounds pretty confusing."
Mirajane answered, "Well, while some aren't necessarily royalty like Hisui, they're called Princesses because their hearts are pure light. Not a single touch of darkness. You can tell by seeing through their kind and gentle nature, or feel the light within."
Wendy said softly, "Feel the light..." Following Mirajane's advice, she held a hand close to the heart without even sensing the air of warmth and comfort beneath her skin. It felt like even the mere thought of the light enclosed was a comforting reminder to uphold, a story almost as old as time itself.
Carla frowned in stark realization, "So their plan all along was to invade every single world until they find a maiden with a heart of pure light so they can complete the ceremony. They'll have the means to open the secret door and exploit untold wisdom. Now I understand why they attacked the guildhall before. They were looking for a Princess of Heart... in our world."
Juvia muttered, "To think if we hadn't fought our hardest, the Alliance of Evil wouldn't have escaped with their prize. We fell right into their trap like mindless puppets, and so did Erza..."
Romeo hissed in spiteful anger, "They kidnapped our friends so that they'll use one of them for some ritual? Is that what this whole thing is about?!" He slammed the wall with his fist, "Natsu, my dad, everybody else... Maleficent's using them as leverage for their plot to take over the worlds! When is this ever gonna end?"
Sherria guessed, "Probably until the ritual starts with all nine Princesses present. They must be really desperate in picking the lock on that magical door to untold wisdom. But what kind? Like ancient history or how the universe works or something like that?"
Donald shrugged, "No clue, but I've got a hunch trouble's afoot when they get their hands on that door."
Goofy gulped, "Gawrsh, Maleficent and her crew nabbed eight Princesses already; now they're down to one more!"
Carla mused, "Once they gather all nine, they'll use the ancient wisdom behind that door as a weapon against the worlds."
Juvia dreaded, "Everything will be doomed! How do we solve this predicament?"
Wendy decided to intervene on behalf of those who imagined the impending chaos. "Guys! I know things are bad, but we can figure this out. Besides, I don't think they've found the last Princess yet."
Sherria agreed, "Yeah, that's right! That gives us a lot of time, doesn't it?"
Carla remarked, "You're still doing a great job at making the best out of a bad situation, Wendy."
Wendy grinned, "Thanks." She then turned to Mirajane, "They're still looking for her?"
Mirajane nodded, "Even now. Almost every day, I see a few dark guilds returning to the castle, frustrated and upset at not being able to find someone who looks like a Princess of Heart. So far, there's no Princess in every world they've visited. I don't know what took them so long, but the fact those goons want those nine for a grand ritual may be a coincidence... or maybe not. In other words, we better stay alert for whatever they have in mind, whether they succeed or not."
Wendy determined, "Well, what are we waiting for? We gotta explore more worlds and find our other Fairy Tail friends! We'll have a better chance at stopping Maleficent if we all work together."
Sherria agreed, "You said it, Wendy! Saving a guild to defeat a club of baddies is a great way to end a long struggle. Basically, it's a straight-up rescue mission."
Romeo glared, "I don't care what they do, but the Alliance of Evil is still going down. They'll pay for all the trouble they caused. I'll save my dad and Natsu, no matter what."
Wendy turned to the Rainbow Fire wizard with a gentle smile. "That's right. I know you... No, we can do it."
Romeo simply chuckled in response. "I'm not complaining."
Donald confirmed, "Back to questin', then! The Gummi Ship's already fixed, so there's still time before we leave."
Goofy suggested, "We owe it to a few friends of ours to finish some errands 'round town, if ya don't mind, Mira."
Mirajane smiled, "Please, take all the time you need. The road is often long and perilous, but I'm confident you'll pull through."
Happy chimed, "We're rooting for ya, Wendy! If you see Lucy or Gray in a different world, say hi for me, okay?"
Wendy nodded, "Promise! Oh, and would you tell Natsu I said hi, too? I wanna let him know that I'm looking for him, and I'm not alone."
Happy sweated, "Uh, sure. No problem." At the very least, no one in the group ever suspected the whole truth of Natsu's dire condition. "I'll be seeing you and Carla around..."
Wendy promised, "We'll find you. Don't worry."
Carla vowed, "You have our word, Happy. You will be saved."
Happy grinned, "Thanks."
Mirajane finished, "That's all the information we have for now. I'll call you when there's more." At the end of the message, she gave a pleading look to her comrades. "Please, everyone... You must save Fairy Tail and put a stop to Maleficent's horrible plans! We're counting on you!" The last thing the group saw was Happy waving his paw and giving shouts of good luck, before the image on the lacrima flickered and went away.
As Wendy and company let the details sink in, Carla passed the now inactive crystal back to Lisanna before she crossed her arms. "It appears we had the right idea about the Alliance of Evil after all. Even now, they are using the Fairy Tail guild for their own gain..."
Sherria commented, "Wow, I always knew Erza's an amazing wizard, given the impressive magic she has. But a princess? That's something you haven't heard all day!"
Romeo followed, "Yeah, I mean, she has a wardrobe of magical armor that makes any guy, or girl for that matter, look like a princess. A warrior princess, that is."
Wendy admitted, "When you put it that way, she does look beautiful with every armor she requips. But it's not just that..." She placed a hand to where her heart lay as a reference, "It's what's in here. Though she's a bit scary sometimes, she's brave and compassionate deep inside. She's always been a kind person to everyone around her." She sighed happily, "I admire her a lot. She's like an elder sister to me."
Lisanna mused, "As she is to the rest of us. Still, I can't believe she's a princess needed for an ancient ritual of some sort..."
Juvia reminded, "Let's not forget Hisui; she was brought into the fold as well. I never imagined they would use an innocent woman who is part-time royalty and part-time mystical maiden as a prop."
Elfman scowled, "It ain't a manly feeling, that's for sure."
Sherria beamed, "But we can save them all! Erza, Princess Hisui, everybody! We'll get the job done faster than a Wyvern gone with the wind in the middle of August."
Romeo laughed, "Hey, I was about to say that!" The rest of the group quickly joined in.
Wendy giggled, "Aww, you guys! You're right, Sherria. We've got work to do."
Lisanna announced, "Well, we better get going. Alzack, Bisca, and Levy are waiting for us."
Elfman smirked, "Yo, if you are in need of some big time manliness, you know where to find us. We'll be at the town square by the big shop." With that said, he and Lisanna immediately left for the door.
As soon as the Strauss siblings were outside, Wendy turned to her friends. "We should get going, too. There's still the new Summon Gem and the puppies we have. Let's go!"
"Yeah!" Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Juvia voiced their approval. Once the goods were delivered, they would continue their quest.
Meanwhile, at the Jolly Roger...
From the other end of the lacrima, Mirajane turned her attention to Happy. "That went better than expected."
Happy titled the side of his head with an odd look directed at the She-Devil. "Uh, pardon me, I get the idea we're working together to stop the bad guys, but..." A pause before he asked, "...why did you lie to Wendy about Natsu? We should've done something about it."
Mirajane understood Happy's concern and explained, "I wasn't hiding the truth from them. It's just..." She lacked the words to back up her statement, "...too hard to say. I don't know if they'll take it lightly."
Happy could clearly see that Mirajane wasn't wrong. Even if he had known how stark reality was, it didn't help the fact that in the worst case, Wendy and her companions would share the same trauma he felt. Indeed, the truth of Natsu's downfall would be very difficult to swallow. Happy and Mirajane had known what became of the salmon-haired youth since the aftermath of the invasion, and this sort of secret wasn't something meant to be kept hidden for long. The truth would reveal itself eventually, but when and how, no one was certain.
For the time being, the secret rebellion within the Alliance of Evil carried on. Mirajane and Happy looked out the cabin window, contemplating their next move.
Back at Traverse Town...
The Magician's Study, One Hour Later
Merely a hour once they had conveyed the second batch of Dalmatian puppies to Pongo and Perdita while receiving a new set of gummi blocks as payment for the deed, Wendy and her friends crossed the familiar dome of water, its location concealed by the door with a fire sign in the Third District. The issue of a bet on who the new summon in the gem would look like had come up in the conversation they had in the hotel on the way back. Call it competition or curiosity, they were eager to find out. As they entered the mystical house, they found Merlin sitting in his large chair and having a heated discussion with someone none of them could see. When that "someone" spotted Wendy and company arriving, he leapt to his feet with a triumphant cry. "I told you they would be arriving! I knew the blue-haired girl would be coming soon!"
"Girl? Girl?!" Merlin sounded rather stubborn during the conversation. "I don't see any girl!"
Romeo raised an eyebrow, "Who's he talking to?" Donald just shook his head and Goofy shrugged his shoulders with a soft chuckle. The only person they could think of was the Fairy Godmother, but that voice couldn't belong to her.
Merlin turned from his seat to notice the confused expressions on the group's faces. When he realized where he was, the annoyed frown dissolved into a genuine smile as he rose from his chair and approached them. "Ah, right on the dot! I must apologize for keeping you waiting; I was in the middle of a heated conversation. So, Wendy, you've come here seeking the Fairy Godmother's aid in unlocking the new Summon Gem you've found, have you?"
Wendy's eyes widened in surprise. "You knew?"
Merlin admitted, "Well, a certain bird predicted that a 'girl with blue hair would come around hatching an egg that shines bright like gold'. I didn't know the meaning behind that riddle, nor where he got that idea. At first, I assumed it to be another delusional rant he cooked up. But the moment you came, I believe he was referring to you and the Summon Gem in your possession."
Carla rubbed her chin, "Given the circumstances, you figured out why we're here."
Merlin sighed, "Yes, my intuition told me so. Your arrival was answer enough. Unfortunately, it wasn't me who foresaw it. I had no idea you would come at the time."
Wendy wondered, "If you didn't know, who did?"
Merlin proposed, "First, let me take a look at you." He put his hands on Wendy's shoulders, observing her from top to bottom. "Hmm... It seems like you have been getting better with each passing moment, my dear. Your spells have upgraded, your strength has increased, and your magic is fine-tuned and greatly on par with Donald's. At any rate, you might even surpass his level. Excellent work!" Donald just rolled his eyes, folding his arms over his chest with a disbelieving grunt.
Wendy giggled, "Thanks, but I couldn't take all the credit. It was Donald who introduced me to his own style of magic. I never would've learned it without his help." She glanced at the duck, who swelled with pride at the compliment.
"Pinfeathers!" a voice cried. "Just a mere girl and—"
Merlin shifted his gaze behind Wendy. "Now, Archimedes, that's no way to treat our guest. Age has nothing to do with skill and talent, and Wendy happens to show a great deal of promise."
The one called Archimedes blubbered, "I know she does! Can't you tell by looking at her pretty face? I said she's a mere girl and already she shows a great deal of promise."
Merlin snapped, "Exactly what I said, birdbrain! Age has nothing on skill and talent!"
Archimedes retorted, "Why'd you have to repeat yourself, old man? Obviously, age has slowed your mind."
Wendy and company spun around to face whom the old wizard was talking to: a small brown owl perched in a wooden stool. It stared at the group with its chest puffed out and its feathers ruffled. Unless Wendy was wrong, it seemed like the animal's yellow eyes flared with contempt. "An owl?"
"Where'd this stuffed animal come from?" Donald pondered.
"Hoo hoo, stuffed?!" The owl suddenly sprung to life, its feathers even more ruffled as it turned its contemptuous gaze on Donald.
"Wak! It's alive!" Donald quacked. "And it talks!"
"Yes, and a great deal better than you, I see," the owl glared at the two, clearly insulted. "My name is Archimedes, and I am a highly educated owl." Donald frowned at that offense, fighting back every urge to turn the owl into fried bird.
"Uhh, highly educated?" Goofy scratched his head in confusion. "What does that mean?"
That seemed to strike another nerve in Archimedes as he stammered at a loss for words. Merlin rolled his eyes, waving the owl off. "Yes, yes, we know."
Archimedes indignantly pointed a wing towards Donald and Goofy. "Well, those rude zealots clearly don't!"
Goofy yelped, "Gawrsh, we're really sorry!"
Archimedes groaned, "Whatever. If you're done lecturing me, I'll be off to my birdhouse eating my daily feed." He fluttered up to a small birdhouse hanging from the ceiling over the table and ducked into it. What appeared to be a stream of unheard negative comments directed at the two Disney explorers spouted endlessly from his beak as he did so.
"Oh, come now, Archimedes," Merlin fretted. "They didn't mean any harm." The owl simply grunted before he slammed the door of his birdhouse shut.
Sherria commented, "Wow, we didn't know you have such a bird."
Goofy worried, "He's your pet? We didn't mean to upset him..."
Merlin assured, "It's fine. You'll have to excuse Archimedes here. He's just a little sensitive, that's all." Clearing his throat, he turned to Wendy, "Now then, if you're looking for the Fairy Godmother, she's—"
"Right here!" Followed by a familiar voice, the room was filled with a mist of sparkling blue light, and within moments, the fairy in question appeared before them. "And in the nick of time, too. You must excuse me for not being here sooner. You see, I've had to run a few errands in the Second District. My job was to pacify the townspeople who were greatly affected by the incident the other day."
Wendy asked, "You heard about what happened?"
The Fairy Godmother nodded, "Oh, everyone has. They say a meteor fell right out of the sky and made a crash near the gizmo shop. Thankfully, no one got hurt, but some were awfully scared in the end. That's where I came in. For instance, I filled the minds of frightened children with good dreams to make them feel better before they go to sleep."
Sherria admired, "You really are a Fairy Godmother."
The Fairy Godmother chuckled, "Well, child, it's what I do. If they'd lost heart, I never would've come to them, and there I was."
Juvia lowered her voice to speak to her friends in private, "So she's the fairy you mentioned earlier... She looks rather elegant for an elderly woman."
Romeo grinned in amazement, "This is the first time I get to see her. And to think fairies are a myth! Now I know why the others were so excited about it before you found me."
Juvia wondered, "Does she have a tail, too?"
Donald said sarcastically, "Whatcha gonna do, look under her dress?"
Juvia's eyes widened, "You want me to peek under someone else's clothes? I can't do that! That would be rude."
Goofy pointed out, "She's a fairy and all, but we gotta respect our elders. Remember that!"
Carla advised, "Whether she has a tail or not matters not. She is still dependable."
Romeo whispered to Wendy, "I'm starting to think you were right about her being sweet and kind. I can tell."
Wendy whispered back, "I knew you'd like her. She's a big help in unlocking new summons."
At that moment, the Fairy Godmother identified the tiny sapphire gleam in Wendy's pocket from one corner of her eye. "Oh, another Summon Gem I see?"
Wendy understood the gesture and pulled the stone out. "Uh-huh. I found this one while we're inside Monstro the whale."
The Fairy Godmother gasped, "Goodness! Are you referring to that awful star-faring goliath that eats unsuspecting people? You ran into him and he swallowed you under his belly, didn't he?"
Romeo questioned, "How'd you know about him?"
The Fairy Godmother answered, "Oh, there are many stories surrounding Monstro only a few lived to tell. Two or three who made it to this town, whether they lost their world or their ships, witnessed the whale's terror firsthand. It's a miracle these people survived, and so did you."
Wendy nodded, "Yeah, it was a big journey down the bowels with his guts and saliva, not to mention all the Heartless we gotta take down, but we all managed to get outta this mess."
The Fairy Godmother smiled, "I'm very glad to hear that. Just keep on believing, dear, and you'll find light at the end of your journey."
Wendy smiled back, "Thank you, Fairy Godmother."
The Fairy Godmother continued, "Now, if you would be so kind as to hand me that blue Summon Gem?" She extended one hand, clearly asking to inspect the stone. The Sky Maiden complied by handing it over, which the kind fairy inspected from all sides, her lips pursed thoughtfully. When she finished, she grinned broadly and explained, "How fascinating! The poor dear who endured such hardship after his world disappeared harbors a strong and pure soul. Despite his youth and his size, he has the will to confront seemingly impossible odds, and that is the source of his strength."
Sherria asked, "So there's a little guy with a heart of gold inside the gem?"
Carla agreed, "Hmm, Wendy likewise shares the same attribute as the person inside the gem."
The Fairy Godmother stated, "That Summon Gem he resides in is called Watergleam, which represents purity and strong will. Rub this young spirit the wrong way, and they'll get wet behind the ears."
Wendy repeated, "Wet behind the ears?"
The Fairy Godmother assured, "You'll know soon enough. Simply summon him and you'll see what he can do. Each summon has their own special ability. Who knows? You may be able to find them all."
Wendy nodded, "Okay, let's give this new summon a try."
The Fairy Godmother raised her wand and pointed the tip at the Watergleam. "Let's help this little one. Here we go! Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo!" As she said the magic words, a bright flash of light and the sound of an elephant's trumpet echoed off the walls of Merlin's house, surprising everyone. At the same time, a magical orb bathed in the same sapphire color and bearing the mark of that said animal burst free from its crystal shell. The very instant the orb became one with the steel of the Keyblade, the magic subsided. Wendy had been granted the power to call forth another ally to aid her in battle, and that left her astonished.
Romeo whistled, "Now this is cool!"
Carla confirmed, "We have a new summon."
Sherria blinked, "Wait, did I just hear an elephant?"
Juvia nodded, "I heard it as well."
Goofy elected, "Same here."
Donald added, "Me too!"
The Fairy Godmother reminded, "If you find any more of these stones, you know where to find me. And don't forget, you are never alone in your quest."
Wendy giggled, "Of course not. My friends are with me the whole time. Oh!" She realized there was one other detail that needed clearing up before she and the others could depart. "By the way, Merlin, we found some missing pages of your book."
Goofy grinned, "Yup, we got 'em right here." He unzipped the left pouch of his pants and pulled out the two torn pages found during the group's travels. They were given to Merlin, who adjusted his glasses before observing them for a short time. Then the old wizard chortled at the end of his analysis.
"Excellent!" Merlin remarked. "You've collected two pages, which means there are only three left to find. All they need is a proper stitching from yours truly."
Romeo asked, "You can fix the book?"
Merlin said proudly, "Boy, I didn't call myself a powerful wizard if I hadn't mastered every spell in the book from top to bottom. If I can make furniture dance, who's to say I can't attach paper in a torn book? I believe it's high time I repay Cid with a little handiwork of my own. Watch and learn!" He swished and flicked his magic wand, "Presto!" Guided by an unseen wind, the pages immediately levitated out of his hand and floated over to the desk with the book. The book flung wide open and consumed the pages before slamming itself shut.
Goofy commented, "Nice handiwork!"
Donald shrugged, "I could've done the same thing."
Wendy smiled again, "Well, I guess that's about everything. Don't worry, we'll find more Summon Gems and the rest of the pages. We'll make everything right. Thanks again!"
Merlin complied, "Please, feel free to come if you so desired." Once the heroes made their leave, there was just him and the Fairy Godmother.
The birdhouse door suddenly opened and Archimedes' head popped from it. "I've finished my feed! What did I miss?" He looked around to see Wendy and company absent from the room. "Huh? Where'd the cute little girl and her friends go?"
Merlin sighed, "They left shortly after you cozied up in your private chambers all the while."
Archimedes exclaimed, "What-Who-When-What-Who?!" He hopped out of the birdhouse and flew over to Merlin, perching himself near the tip of his long blue hat. "That's just great. I was so looking forward to see her hatch a golden egg. I should've eaten faster."
Merlin frowned at the owl, "That's too bad, because the egg already hatched. The baby bird flew out the window. And for the record, it's blue, not gold!"
Archimedes snapped, "I'm not talking about that kind of egg! I'm talking solid gold, coins, treasure! I don't believe what you say for a second, you blockhead!"
Merlin yelled, "I'm telling the truth, you stubborn bird! Why can't you listen to me for once?!"
As the two were embroiled in another argument, the Fairy Godmother only sighed. She thought to herself, "Well, here they go again."
First District
"So you're staying?" As Romeo asked his question, he and the others clearly saw that the verdict was unanimous. Upon their expected arrival at the First District, Elfman, Lisanna, Levy, Alzack, and the Connells had taken the opportune moment to make clear their intentions before the party's long-awaited departure. Over the course of the Gummi Ship's maintenance, one half of the entourage had grown accustomed to the town being a sanctuary for lost souls, immune to the persecution of dark forces. That, and acquainting themselves with Leon's group earlier that morning gave them a fresh start to unwind from past events. With that in mind, they decided to hang around Traverse Town for a while longer, providing service to the citizens while awaiting triumph from those who elected to carry on the quest at the same capacity.
"Yeah, somebody has to look out for the locals," Alzack explained. "Traverse Town's been having its fair share of troubles in recent days. Heartless keep flooding the streets like rats, and I don't think Leon and the gang can hold out for long."
"Sure, they're tougher than most jackrabbits you'd ever see in a lifetime, but if you look close enough, you see 'em buildin' up a lot of sweat," Bisca stated. "So we figured, why not give 'em a hand, be the spare patrol? The least we can do to repay Leon for helpin' us is to help him back. You fightin' out there and us fightin' right here is like two sides of a coin."
"You wanna stay here and help Leon and Yuffie?" Wendy grew curious of their decision.
"Think about it, Wendy," Alzack responded. "Despite their efforts, they're barely keeping those dirty bugs at bay. Remember what Cid said back at the safe house?"
"They've been working real hard fighting Heartless, and looking for better ways to stop them," Romeo recalled.
"Exactly," Alzack nodded. "You can't expect them to keep this up forever, can you? That's why we're adding ourselves to the equation. We need to give them a chance, give them a break if they need it."
"Mrs. Connell told me that back at the museum..." Wendy thought out loud at the callback.
"Besides, I think Asuka's had enough interstellar trips for a day or two," Alzack gestured to his daughter in his wife's arms. "She seems to like this town more than the worlds we've explored."
"Yay! We're back in the pretty town!" Asuka cheered. "We can buy the new toys now!"
"Can't complain about it," Bisca chuckled. "Since we're stayin', we might as well give our girl the load she's askin' for. Traverse Town's a good place to make comfy without a target bein' put on our backs. An entourage the size of a big band draws too much attention, and I think it's best we keep it that way."
"To put it simply, you remain here because you feel like you're weighing us down," Carla guessed. "So many members would certainly draw the attention of the enemy, as you suggested."
"Which is half the reason we're staying," Alzack implied. "We don't want to get in your way. You, Wendy, Donald, and Goofy have a lot more experience in crossing other worlds than us. Romeo and Sherria just want to stick around."
"Uh-huh," Sherria nodded. "You know I can't leave my best friend behind."
"And after all I've seen and been through..." Romeo affirmed. "I'm not ready to back down just yet."
"Are you okay with this?" Wendy asked.
"Course we are, kid," Bisca grinned. "Traverse Town's like a second Magnolia, and I imagine we'll feel right at home here. Think of it as a safe house for lost and found Fairy Tail wizards. If you bring 'em along for the ride, that's fine, just as long as you keep calm and stick together. Overall, have a good time."
"How about you, Juvia?" Alzack asked. "You're staying as well?"
"I gave Wendy and the others my word that I would stick with them to the end, so I'm going," Juvia replied. "My resolve to see through this ocean of troubles cannot be swayed by the tides."
"Oh, I get the idea," Bisca smirked. "Still head over heels for Gray?"
"Don't bring that up!" Juvia blushed madly. "You'll spoil the ending!"
"Hey, calm down. It's not like we're stoppin' you or anythin'," Bisca eased. "We just wanna wish you and Wendy good luck, that's all."
"Oh..." Juvia's blush disappeared. "Right..."
"Leon provided each of us safe homes in the First District to live in," Lisanna smiled. "We want to help him and Yuffie fight off any invading Heartless in return for his kindness. A friend in need is a friend indeed. That's the Fairy Tail way."
"Like the time I turned three fat brutes running down the street into punching bags," Elfman snorted. "That's just the kind of workout a man needs."
"There's a library next to the hotel we stayed in," Levy stated. "I don't know much about the existence of other worlds or how the Heartless came into being, but it's a great opportunity to study the universe around us." She then beamed, "Time to hit the books again!"
"Levy, you sure about this?" Goofy worried. "Goin' out there all on your own? What if the Heartless get ya?"
"I'll handle them with my Solid Script magic," Levy assured. "If they think I'm just a helpless girl, then they're sorely mistaken."
"Don't worry about us," Elfman smirked. "When somebody hits us, we hit 'em back. And we always have each other. Everything will be fine. Trust me."
"So beautiful...!" Goofy sniffled. "You can't deny their resolve."
"We still have the communication lacrima," Lisanna reminded. "If you come back and Mirajane has given us new information on the dark guilds and Maleficent, we'll let you know."
"You know Mira," Sherria remarked. "She's the kind of person who makes things look easy."
"Let's get through this, Sherria," Carla advised. "Then you can tell her how easy things will look."
"Right!" Sherria nodded. "Guess the team's down to myself, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Carla, and Juvia."
"We'll be back, Mr. and Mrs. Connell. We'll continue the adventure for you and everyone else," Wendy beamed.
"I have to agree that you'll be a lot safer here than out there. Please, wait for us," Carla requested.
"Just stay safe till we get back. We won't be long!" Donald promised.
"Feel free to stop by the First District if you wanna talk to us. We're always here," Alzack grinned.
"If you see Gajeel, Lucy, or any of my Shadow Gear members, tell them I said hi, okay?" Levy bargained.
"Please, find the rest of Fairy Tail, Wendy. Mira has faith in you, and so have we. You're our best hope," Lisanna pleaded.
"We're rooting for ya, kid! Big Sis is counting on ya. You've met some interesting things in your quest, and your animal buddies truly take the cake. Be strong, you hear?" Elfman encouraged.
"Animal buddies? Does he mean Donald and Goofy?" Sherria wondered.
"Gee, that's a nice compliment," Goofy smiled.
"Wait a second. We take the cake? In a good way or a bad way?" Donald asked suspiciously.
"That's for you to decide, Donald," Carla told him.
The final preparations had been made. Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, Carla, Sherria, and Juvia turned their direction towards the main gate when Levy interrupted them. "Hold on. We don't have anything else to say. You know what I mean by that?"
Wendy smiled brightly and looked back at the Solid Script wizard. "Uh-huh. I know that. We all do."
The Sky Dragon Slayer recognized the hopeful look in Levy's eyes. It was the power of faith that a Fairy Tail wizard would prevail regardless of the odds. Not giving up on that belief, the people who elected to stay behind pointed up to the sky with their thumbs sticking out, a familiar gesture that had been adapted as a symbol of the guild out of inspiration from Laxus's childhood years. A message indicating that no matter where a member of Fairy Tail was, they would always have the love and support of their friends more than a hundred miles away. Wendy, Romeo, Carla, and Juvia performed the same gesture in response, while Sherria, Donald, and Goofy watched on.
"Come on, guys!" Once the farewell party came to a close, Wendy beckoned the party members to follow her out the gate. As she ran over, she waved at the Connells, the Strauss siblings, and Levy. "See you later! And tell Cid we said thanks!" They waved back, giving their best wishes to those intending to resume the adventure in their stead.
"Hey!" Donald followed the others with a worried expression. "I wanna know what he meant about us taking the cake in a good way or bad way! And what's with the pointing in the sky? Wendy? Romeo! Hey! Don't leave me hanging!"
Gummi Ship Cockpit
"This is even bigger than I imagined!" Juvia breathed, taking in the scenery from her spot in the cockpit after being given a brief tour of the Gummi Ship before lift-off fifteen minutes earlier. Leaving behind the confines of the world it crashed on, the vessel was free to once again sail the endless space, and less than half an hour later, Wendy and her friends were seeing stars. Juvia presently gave her positive thoughts on the ship, standing next to the young Keyblade wielder in her seat. "First of all, your shuttle's design is so unique and impressive, unlike the ones me and the other guild members were shanghaied into. Second, the engine room happened to be luxurious living quarters the size of three hotel rooms. And third, you tenaciously and graciously handled the enemy Heartless ships with your laser turret. I'd call it a fine vessel, if not perfect." As Donald and Goofy smiled at the well thought-out review, another idea crossed her mind. "Yet I'm wondering again why we didn't bring everyone. We should've brought in reinforcements to help turn the tide of this conflict, even the whole guild can fit into that ship."
"Y'know, Alzack and the gang promised they'd stay and help Leon's crew take care of things 'round town," Goofy reminded. "I gotta say, they're startin' to like hangin' out with them."
"Fairy Tail's no stranger to making new friends, no matter where they're from and who they are, right?" Sherria grinned. "It's pretty much the same thing with other guilds, mine included."
"Anyway, they'll be safe in Traverse Town," Wendy implied. "Mrs. Connell said it's like a second Magnolia, so this won't be a problem for us. But we'll always come to them if we need backup."
"This may be difficult, but I think they made the right choice," Carla stated. "Coming in a crowd is a great way to attract more enemies. The best possible solution is to limit our numbers, blend in, then strike back when the time is right."
"Oh, now you're following the rules?" Donald raised an eyebrow. "Sometimes I don't get you..."
"Let me ask ya again; sure we can leave 'em here?" Goofy wondered. "They've been a big helpin' hand since we've gone out world-trippin'."
"You're talking about a guild of pros," Romeo brimmed with confidence. "I'm absolutely positive they'll handle the town as Leon and the others did. They're counting on us to finish the job. You can trust a Fairy Tail wizard."
"That's right," Wendy nodded. "We can't let them down, and they won't, either. They've put our faith in us, and we in them."
"Faith that we'll give Maleficent and her cronies socks on the jaws," Sherria smiled. "That's a little something Elfman usually says. You know, since he calls himself a real man?"
"Real words from a real girl," Romeo quipped.
"Aww, thanks!" Sherria giggled.
The group began laughing to themselves, but soon stopped when buttons on the control panel beeped randomly and was paired with a recognizable buzzing sound. That alerted Donald, who gave Goofy a quick nudge for the latter to take notice. "Hey, it's—" The duck stopped mid-sentence when a piece of paper was printed from a thin-line slot at the center of the panel. "A letter? I thought Chip and Dale were supposed to call us like they usually do."
Goofy rubbed the back of his head as he guessed, "Uhh, maybe the comms are down, so they're sendin' messages instead till they get 'em fixed."
Sherria asked eagerly, "What does it say?"
Donald offered, "Here, why don't you read it for us?" He ripped the paper from the printing slot and handed it to the Sky God Slayer, who cleared her throat and began to read the contents aloud:
"Dear Wendy, Donald, and Goofy, sorry we didn't call you guys due to connection problems with the comms, and we're working real hard in putting them back into shape." Sherria turned to Goofy and said, "Wow, you guessed it right," before she went on, "On the bright side, we can still send messages, and we're taking this opportunity to send you a big, delicious banana split. This letter's the big banana, the news written there is the pastrami and bubble-gum flavored ice cream, and last but not least, our good luck wishes are the sweet chocolate sauce with a cherry on top." She looked at Wendy and the others, "They sure have a pretty neat sense of humor."
Wendy encouraged, "Keep reading! What's it say?"
Sherria continued reading, "There's a second tournament being held at Olympus Coliseum, with another big reward to boot. When are you gonna participate? If you are, then go out there and bash their heads so you can take home the championship! Show 'em what you've got! Your pals, Chip & Dale. P.S., this message will self-destruct in one minute." She looked at the last part of the letter with confusion. "Huh?"
Donald rolled his eyes, "They're probably pulling a prank. I'm throwing this in the garbage. Goofy, you run the ship." He rose from the co-pilot's seat, took the letter from Sherria, and climbed down the ladder to the engine lounge.
As soon as the royal court magician left, the enthusiasm of fighting in the Coliseum Games motivated Sherria once again. "We're back in the competition, guys!"
Wendy smiled, "Wow, you're really excited about another tournament, huh?"
Sherria beamed, "You know it! We might even get the chance to face you-know-who!"
Romeo reminded, "When it comes to competition, anything goes. We might face him in the finals, so let's find out for ourselves."
Carla confirmed, "Either way, this is a surefire way to sharpen our skills and strengths further for the journey to come."
Juvia pondered, "So this tournament takes place in Olympus Coliseum, the world Happy mentioned? If so, then..."
Goofy cheered, "Alright, fellas! We're settin' course for Olympus—"
BOOM! Everyone heard a small explosion from below. Donald eventually made his return, covered in dust and feeling rather sour.
Sherria jumped, "Whoa! The letter really did self-destruct!"
Donald grumbled, "Yeah, thanks for pointing it out." He coughed out smoke before dusting himself off as he made his return to his seat in the control panel, writing a mental note to confront Chip and Dale for pulling that prank on him.
Romeo grinned, "Donald never gets any rest, does he?"
Goofy chuckled, "You could say that."
Carla muttered, "What a shame."
Wendy sighed, "But the bad news is, I'm not allowed to use my new summon in the Games."
Sherria suggested, "You can always let him out when we're in a real fight outside the Games."
Romeo concurred, "Yeah, we're a little excited to see what the new summon looks like and what he can do. What do you say?"
Wendy complied, "I'll see what I can do the next time we're in a real battle."
Romeo and Sherria cheered, "Yeah!"
Goofy nodded, "Okay!"
Juvia interjected, "So, Wendy, you've developed a certain ability to summon allies with your Keyblade, just as Lucy can summon her Celestial Spirits. How many do you currently have in your collection?"
Wendy counted her fingers, "Well, besides the new summon I've got from Monstro, there's Simba the lion and a Genie who used to be a spirit of the lamp. So that makes three..."
As the group immersed themselves into a series of friendly talks, the Gummi Ship pressed ever onward, on the way to Olympus Coliseum.
The hidden memories resurfaced. Wendy and Kaze were entangled in another routine training session supervised by Grandeeney the early afternoon, in which the two young girls would further develop their powers through the ever flowing wind and the forces of nature around them. Despite the fact that they practiced the same magic with the same element, the difference of power and how they implemented it to their liking seemed quite clear. While Wendy's magic was underdeveloped at best and would take time to fully mature, Kaze's magic boasted a level higher than hers, which enabled her to make pebbles out of boulders and toothpicks out of trees the past hour. She had no problem taking on even the session's hardest tasks, and she accomplished every task with speed and ferocity. So obviously, Kaze's the dominant trainee, and Wendy's only second.
However, Grandeeney sensed there was something to the dark pink-haired youth than what her talents let on. It felt like a dark will, a killer instinct, a desire to win that had grown over recent days...
It was the third hour before sunset, and the training was nearing its end. Kaze, enveloped in a swirling aura of powerful white wind, zoomed around a wide circle of gigantic rocks and demolished it in a split second. When she landed on the dirt, she was surrounded by piles of rubble. She turned to Wendy, who looked on with shock and awe at the display. Grandeeney less so. The Sky Dragon evaluated the result her pupils showed with great understanding, and announced, "Once again, you have demonstrated true valor in furthering your magic, my children. You have grown strong. However..." She turned to face Kaze, "...you, Kaze, happened to be the star of today's training. I couldn't be more surprised at how powerful you are already becoming." She rubbed her chin with her talon-like claw, "Perhaps too powerful..."
Kaze laughed proudly, "I know, right? I've been working out before this whole training started. I feel way tougher than a dragon now!"
Grandeeney raised an eyebrow, "Really? Is that so? Seeing as you possess such raw strength, you may be able to triumph over an actual dragon."
Kaze beamed, "Thanks, Grandeeney. You always knew I'm the best." She looked at Wendy, "You see what I did back there, cuz? I crushed all these rocks in a second!"
Wendy couldn't find the right words to describe what her fellow trainee demonstrated, but she nonetheless tried to give her positive opinion, "Um, I think you did great, only that it's very intense. And a little scary. I've never seen you so..." She struggled to make the next words come out, "...serious..."
Kaze admitted with a chuckle, "Yeah, so I am. Sometimes I don't even know my own strength."
Grandeeney stated, "There is often a time when living creatures are unaware of the immeasurable strength within. Testing one's limit is the best way to know how strong. Tell me, Kaze, have you ever considered taking time to look within yourself and recognize your faults?"
Kaze wondered, "What do you mean?"
Grandeeney implied, "Wendy does have a point about you acting very intense in your training. You trample the environment with little regard to what's around you, no different than a forest fire. It's almost as if you are possessed by an urge to violate everything around you, never to realize the consequences. Take this, for example..." She grasped her claw around the remains of a boulder and raised much of the rubble up to reveal a bird long trapped under it, before it flew away, never to return. "The poor creature needed fresh air."
Kaze blinked, "I don't know what you're talking about."
Grandeeney lowered her eyes, "You demonstrate great power, yet using it to vanquish is merely your foundation? Although, on top of all else, you are a skilled adept, you still haven't grasped the severity of your actions."
Kaze tried to reason, "You wanted us to be Dragon Slayers, don't you? It's what we agreed on. It's what you're expecting of us. To be the best Dragon Slayers. We can do whatever we want with this kind of magic."
Grandeeney countered, "There is more to being a Dragon Slayer than having your way all the time. I trained you to use magic as a means of defense, not brutality. Through the air you absorb, you mold your magic into a gift to suit the needs of many others as well as your own. Healing, empowerment, balance... These traits embody the heavens, the very element of your-"
Kaze frowned, "Heal? I asked for the power to fight, not to heal! What are you gonna do, make me a nurse? I let you train me so I can be strong enough to teach the bad guys a lesson! To break their bones and crush their spirits so they won't threaten the good guys again!"
Grandeeney grew annoyed, "I thought I told you that violence is a last resort. It can turn the benevolent into machines of destruction. It seems you have forgotten."
Kaze snapped, "But you said I did a very great job! I did what you asked! Are you doubting me?"
Grandeeney argued, "I'm stating the obvious, Kaze! You let your lust for battle take advantage of you! Tell that to the little bird stuck under the rubble. Be thankful it didn't get crushed completely for the mess you caused!"
Kaze yelled, "How can you say that to me?! I can handle everything! I'm a true Dragon Slayer, and I—"
"You are NOT a true Dragon Slayer!" Grandeeney interrupted with her voice raised to a mighty roar that echoed across the forest, bouncing off the trees and across the plains. That silenced Kaze's onslaught of needling criticism, and it was only a while before the dragon's voice returned to its calm tone. "Not yet. Though you have learned much, there is little left to learn. The risk of acting otherwise would be too great. Understood?"
Kaze had stayed silent, her expression stony, while Wendy clutched her ears at the loud noise. It had been a mistake on the dark pink-haired girl's part to arouse the Sky Dragon's anger. She didn't shout, she didn't scream, she didn't even try to attack before the argument ended. She was completely stunned, drained of her pent-up rage. Kaze only complied with a soft sigh, "Yes..." She hesitated at saying the last word, "...mother."
Grandeeney was stern for a good minute before she relaxed, and she stared down at her students with sincere eyes. There was Wendy, who still covered her ears. "You can stop now, Wendy. The noise is gone." She did as she was told, and the dragon sighed apologetically. "Forgive me for startling you."
Wendy smiled weakly, "It's okay, Grandeeney. It's a dragon's roar, right? I think I'm getting used to hearing it."
Grandeeney cleared her throat, "Now then, shall I continue?" Wendy nodded in response. Kaze gave none. "You must understand that virtue is not easily embraced by those who seek answers in a world riddled with toil and strife; there are few who often prefer the easy way out. In an instant, people become poisoned by the ecstasy of battle. It can take them over, and before they knew it, they lose their sanity. Dragon Slayers are no different in that manner, this much I know."
Wendy asked curiously, "You mean, there are bad Dragon Slayers out there?"
Grandeeney confessed, "I'm afraid so. Some use their powers for good, others for evil. Long ago, a legendary Dragon Slayer lost his mind, driven mad by abusing his magic for his own selfish interests. No one knows if he is alive or dead." She was wise not to reveal the identity of the villain in her tale, as it would spoil the prophecy of the chosen seven. She paused briefly and then continued, "I do not wish to have you suffer the same fate as him. I merely want to guide you down the right path, to teach you the ways of harmony and focus. Put your trust in me, my dears..." She held a claw close to her chest, "...and all your concerns will be laid to rest." As Wendy and Kaze comprehended her words, Grandeeney changed the topic, "Tomorrow's training will be different. We will focus on supportive magic instead of offensive. Until then, you must heal yourself after use of your magic. Is that clear?"
"Yes, Grandeeney!" The two pupils agreed, through one among them was visibly disturbed by the proposal.
Grandeeney smiled, "Good. Now why don't you two run along and play? We have mere hours before dinner." With that said, the two Dragon Slayers in training, one gloomy and one cheerful, immediately departed from the dragon's presence.
One hour later...
Kaze knew she was more mature than to just sit in the tree stump and sulk, yet here she was doing it anyway. She was so frustrated, she wanted to do something but wouldn't dare going against Grandeeney's wishes to do so. She heard footsteps on the grass from behind her and knew it was Wendy. "If you've come here to play with me, I wouldn't," Kaze moaned. "Not right now." Still her little friend approached, and sat down beside her.
"What's wrong, Kaze?" Wendy wondered. "Still upset about earlier?"
"Oh, you think?" Kaze rolled her eyes. "You saw how she snapped at me."
"She'd never be mad at us," Wendy reasoned. "She's just trying to teach us something."
"Teach us what?" Kaze snarked. "To bore the monsters to death with cruddy healing magic? No new awesome spell to learn but healing magic? Practice nothing but healing magic? Healing magic?!" Every word she spoke seemed to get nastier and nastier. "Oh, and what's next? We pick the fruits? We fetch more water? We feed the birds? We hear another speech about harmony and stuff? Boring! Where's the fun in that?" She hung her head down and shook it in disbelief, "Why do I get the feeling she's weighing us down?"
"Don't say that, Kaze," Wendy tried to comfort her friend. "Grandeeney wouldn't hold us back. She loves us. She's our mom. We can't be done now. We can make it work. We—"
"Wendy..." Kaze cut her off with an exasperated sigh. "It's not enough. All I ever want is to reach my full potential, not waste it on boring practices and shoddy chores. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, Grandeeney just couldn't see that. She couldn't. If I can't be strong enough, if I can't push myself..." She paused to let her message sink in, "...what good am I?" She sat up from the stump and turned away, her voice laced with sadness. "I need some time to think. If I were you, Blueberry, I'd look for a better place to hang out."
Kaze sighed a final time only treading beyond the boundaries of Grandeeney's nest. She had no idea where this path would lead her, but for now all she wanted to do was get as far away from her insecurities as she possibly could.
Wendy only watched her fellow pupil leave the nest in silence.
Olympus Coliseum
Hours Before the Pegasus Cup
"Okay, so the deadly demon warrior posse of the week is..." Hades was speaking to an audience of at least two hundred dark wizards. The visitors who showed up at the doorstep of the Lord of the Dead stood at attention in separate lines, all wearing different designs of formal clothing: some wore suits with ties, others vests, and even a few women in dresses. The one thing that linked them together was the guild symbol marked on their exposed body parts, which depicted a theatrical mask with two separate halves comprised of delight and despair, pierced by three arrows on the left side. That crowd represented the Poker Face dark guild, a band of the rather classy elite harboring potent magical prowess in spite of their regal status. Rather than crack a smile at the prospect of having a new dark guild benefit his plans of dominating the Coliseum, however, Hades merely stared at the wizards with a puzzled expression. "A bunch of prissy boys and girls from Athens? I expected the new muscle to be more manly and less beardy that Abigail! Then again, the way they dress reminds me a lot of that pretty boy Narcissus. Why does Maleficent go to the trouble of sending me beauties instead of beasts?"
"Don't assume those beauties are merely partygoers on a soirée, Hades," a ghastly voice corrected. "They are the perfect pawns, the executors of my will, my most skilled and devious agents! Those poor fools at the upcoming tournament have no idea of the power my guild truly has. They're going to rob this Coliseum blind, and there's nothing those meatheads can do about it. If anyone dares to stand between Poker Face and absolute victory, let them beware..." The voice belonged to the guild master who emerged from the shadows; he wore a magenta two-tailed coat with gold linings, green high collars, and an elaborate white frill decorating of the Poker Face symbol, silver claw-like gauntlets, a long red sash tied around his waist, black pants, and iron boots. His face was painted gold, his eyes glowed ominously red, and his shoulder-length navy hair was tied in three braids. "...for I, Roquefort Roulette, will draw the card of fate to seal theirs."
"Oooh! Your band may look like spoiled little rich kids, but your attitude's the bomb!" Hades was starting to feel quite impressed. "I think you just might have a chance at helping me give Jerkules a run for his money. Or in my case, give him a run down the River Styx."
"I'm certain Wendy Marvell and her pathetic friends will arrive soon," Roquefort smirked. "This will be our moment. A perfect chance to eliminate the people who long prevented our schemes for domination of this universe. Where Tamer Coat failed, we will succeed."
"I hope so, for your sake and mine, Goldfinger," Hades bargained, sitting in his chair. "Give me some pizzazz when you make avgolemono soup outta that little pipsqueak. Impress me. Entertain me. Do the magic!" He lit a cigar with a flaming thumb and smoked, "You need me, I'll be right here, watching from the sidelines. And don't expect any cheers from yours truly."
"Your support interests me not," Roquefort assured. "We've come only to conquer our enemies and show them the meaning of humility. Their suffering will be most pleasing."
"You wanna get dirty? Fine, suit yourself," Hades shrugged. "Know better than to take your pretty lumps."
"The time has come! Tonight, the Pegasus Cup will be ours!" Roquefort cackled evilly, his crimson eyes glinting with pride and ambition. The guild master's declaration was met with a rapturous cheer from the ensemble, except for Hades, who simply looked on in a bored manner. The stage had been set.
Meanwhile, at the Coliseum Lobby...
True to Roquefort's words, the Coliseum was blanketed under the cover of night, an atmosphere that made any modest participant shake with doubt and anxiety over the eerie backdrop, in anticipation for the first match of the tournament and the next. Normally, under circumstances such as this, the one thing anyone would expect from competition was the unexpected, and the same thing applies to every form of entertainment. Wendy and company were least fazed by the transition from morning to evening; that didn't sway their resolve to win the cup and sharpen their skills for the fight to come. They walked through the doors of the vestibule and found an old friend expecting the return of the team who dominated the cup he was named after. Wendy was the first to greet him, "Hi, Phil!"
"Ah, there you are!" Philoctetes grinned. "I was startin' to worry you rookies wouldn't make it in time for the Pegasus Cup! Thank your lucky gods it's just an hour away before the cup starts, so there's plenty to spare."
"That's a piece of good news," Sherria confirmed.
"Where's Hercules?" Wendy wondered.
"He's got a meeting with King Augeas. The old loon's recently got a problem with his stables," Philoctetes explained. "You know, hero duty calls or somethin'? But don't worry, he'll be back to see the final match."
"So how are things going along in the Coliseum?" Romeo asked.
"Way intense, kid," Philoctetes replied. "Everybody's been on a bettin' craze since we've opened the next Coliseum Games. They're puttin' their money on who would win: the breakout junior heroes or the frats in the spats. That, and we'd expect the largest audience in a while. I'm owin' it to the blue little squirt over there." She gestured to Wendy, "The stakes and sales have never been higher. I guess I should thank you for that."
"They really likes us! Thank you, Phil," Wendy beamed.
"Hmm, Wendy does have some sort of reputation in this place," Juvia commented.
"Well, they cheered for her, so that makes her a little famous," Goofy chuckled.
"And us too. We're the big stars! We can take on anybody!" Donald boasted.
"It sure is a breeze fighting in the big leagues, huh?" Romeo grinned.
"Speaking of leagues, the Pegasus Cup promises to be as twice as a doozy than the last," Philoctetes reminded. "You gotta form the best fighters in your team and play this game higher, or the fighting crowd out there will give you a timeout in the corner, know what I mean?" The group nodded in agreement. Just then, the satyr noticed Juvia, the latest addition to Wendy's group and, to his eyes, another hot customer. "Hey, she a new teammate?"
"Yes, my name is Juvia Lockser, the Rain Woman," Juvia responded. "I was rescued by Wendy and her crew some time ago, and in gratitude, I accompany them on their quest."
"Hey, good for you, sweet cheeks," Philoctetes smiled. "They ain't real heroes yet, but they're the genuine article." His grin intensified further when he attempted the same method he implanted when he encountered Bisca. "You lookin' for a hero trainer? Name's Phil, by the way. Whadaya say this Saturday, you and me go—"
"I'm flattered by your generous offer, Mr. Phil, but I'm afraid I must refuse," Juvia politely shook her head. "My heart already belongs to someone else, and his name is Gray Fullbuster." She held a hand close to her chest, and her eyes glinted with burning passion at the thought of her sweetheart. "My darling Gray! If he's here in this coliseum, he'd shine brighter than a thousand gladiators, and he won't even need armor to make himself presentable in the ring! As a matter of fact, I can look at him armorless with a magnificent body! His muscles, his chest, his kingly physique..."
"Ah, phooey. There she goes again," Donald groaned.
"Why'd you keep sayin' that?" Goofy questioned.
"It's what she does, Donald. Let her dream," Wendy smiled.
"Shoot!" Philoctetes snapped his fingers in disappointment. "There goes another dame in my list." He then redirected his focus to the topic at hand, "So like I said, this cup promises to be as twice as a doozy. Kid, you have to choose four members or less to represent your team."
"Okay, who's in?" Wendy turned to her friends.
"I'm in!" Romeo raised his hand.
"Me too!" Sherria followed.
"Me three," Donald elected.
"Me four!" Goofy cheered.
"So it's unanimous, huh?" Philoctetes stroked his goatee.
"That leave us to watch you fight in the arena," Juvia confirmed.
"All we can say is good luck, Wendy. Don't strain yourself," Carla advised.
"You can count on me, Carla," Wendy promised.
"Be careful out there, the five of you!" Juvia encouraged.
"We will!" Sherria nodded.
"The first match's about to start, so get ready, rookies," Philoctetes reminded.
"Come on, guys! Let's go kick some tail!" Romeo beamed.
As the five people representing Team Wendy made their way to the stage with vigor and determination, Carla was left to look after Juvia, whose thoughts reverted to her usual fantasies about Gray. "Wouldn't it be great if Gray's one of those noble warriors in the arena? I often imagine him as a handsome warrior prince fighting for love and truth."
Carla sighed, "It's the least of my worries. Let's go." They followed Philoctetes out of the vestibule, resolute on seeing the progress of Wendy's team in the upcoming tournament, never knowing of the impending danger until later.
Coliseum
"Ladies and gentlemen, we welcome you to the second tournament of the Olympus Coliseum Games, the Pegasus Cup!" The Greek announcer projected his declaration to the hundreds in attendance at their feet, their patience and hype rewarded amid speculation to determine whose favorite team would emerge the victor. "The valiant fighters who climbed their way from the lower ranks have ascended up to the middle class for a chance at a spot among the highly elite. The question of who wins can only be found right here in the arena! Introducing first to my left, the Coliseum Games' fastest rising stars turned fastest rising champions, Team Wendy: Wendy Marvell, Donald Duck, Goofy, Sherria Blendy, and Romeo Conbolt!"
Every step Wendy and her teammates made as they entered the arena was greeted with cheers and shouts from their dedicated fans. Carla and Juvia sat among the crowd, giving the best support and wishes they could provide to the fighting team.
"And their opponents to my right, Ghost Bandits!" Right on cue, a mixed battalion of Heartless and low-ranking Poker Face wizards took the stage, adamant at their obligation to eradicate any inconveniences in the name of Hades and their guild master. The Heartless lineup was comprised of twelve Search Ghosts, four Bandits, and five Air Soldiers.
"More Heartless and dark guilds! They're up to no good again!" Donald tensed.
"But ya notice the fancy getup they're wearin'? They look handsome," Goofy examined.
"Aren't these the kind of clothes people from Blue Pegasus wear all the time?" Wendy wondered.
"I don't know, but my gut tells me they're not the best look-a-likes," Romeo remarked.
By looking over the arrow-headed theatrical mask in the exposed sleeve of a dark wizard's left arm, Sherria was able to deduce the name of the guild sent after the group. "It's gotta be Poker Face!"
The other four looked over at the Sky God Slayer in slight confusion. "Poker Face?"
Donald blinked, "As in a blank face?"
Goofy added, "A face you poke more often?"
Sherria shook her head, "No, no, it's more of a dirty face that plays poker, a game of cards. You know what I'm getting at, right?" She only received a few puzzled stares from Donald and Goofy, but nonetheless went on to explain, "Anyway, Poker Face is an ensemble of jackals and headhunters formed by a group of corrupt aristocrats and gamblers for the sole purpose of looting, murder, and causing mayhem— occasionally for the highest bidder. They have a history of working for shady clients depending on their salary and the monetary rewards from completing various missions. You pay them, you watch them do the dirty work like it's a game."
Goofy gulped, "They do bad stuff like it's a game?"
Sherria nodded, "You know it! While the snobs in suits work their tails off, the greedy gluttons place their bets on who lives or dies. If they spin the wheel and your name's on the arrow, you're next on their hit list."
Donald muttered, "That sounds scary..."
Sherria advised, "Don't let the suits fool you; they dress up nice like Blue Pegasus, sure, but just because they look classy doesn't mean they aren't well-versed in magic! Those are the two reasons they call themselves the elite hunting club of the criminal underworld: Deadly magic and terror-for-profit."
Wendy realized, "Wait a sec! They sent Poker Face to fight in the Coliseum, didn't they? Could they be the dark guild Happy talked about?" She rubbed her chin upon confirming the news, "Then it looks like he was right after all. We should thank him for that slip of info..."
Romeo suggested, "Thank him later! Right now, we gotta take care of those fancy pantsies."
Sherria affirmed, "Another dark guild on their payroll... Well, I think they're betting on the wrong guys. They don't stand a chance against us."
A Poker Face wizard barked at the group, "Hey, you! You kids sound really confident, aren't ya? Ya think ya got the stones to throw at us? 'Team Wendy?' More like 'Team Fantasy Dopeland!' I bet youse playin' with yer dollies an' cry when you lose! Outie belly buttons run in your families, stinkwads!" His other guildmates laughed cruelly at the insult directed at the heroes' expense.
Romeo boasted, "Well, those 'stinkwads' are gonna knock your faces in! Don't mess with us!"
Another Poker Face grunt sneered, "You're gonna regret opening your yap to your elders, pal! See us? We're the highly elite. We have the makings of S-Class. We've got sport and money than anybody inside and outside the ring. So basically, what we're telling you is that whatever you try will be completely useless. Think that over in the very short time you have left with a functional brain. Regular old wizards are no match for Poker Face!"
Wendy taunted, "Too bad for you that we're not regular old wizards. You're gonna learn the hard way!"
A third Poker Face minion snorted, "Piss off, cherry pop! You don't know who you're dealing with! We'll crush your bones and rip out your innards in front of your precious fans!" That galvanized the fighting spirit of the opposing team as they raised their fists in a fighting stance, each brimming with varying colors of their respective magical elements.
Sherria sighed, "Worth a shot. Let's get those chumps!"
Wendy agreed, "Yeah!"
At the start of the match, each opposing team leapt towards the other, ready to fight. The Pegasus Cup had begun!
Cue Music: For the Glory feat. Mute City Theme (F-Zero GX)
9th Seed: Ghost Bandits (Search Ghost x12, Bandit x4, Air Soldier x5, Poker Face x5)
Distinct from the Tamer Coat wizards Wendy and company encountered in the Phil Cup, the Poker Face wizards were well-versed with a unique blend of magic and hand-to-hand combat, and thus were able to keep up with their Heartless cohorts. Their tenacity and more-than-average endurance made them quite a challenge more often, but thanks to Wendy and her teammates' quick thinking and well-timed strikes, the Poker Face wizards had yet to achieve success, and were easily defeated along with the Heartless. As the ninth seed ended, new squadrons of Heartless and dark wizards took the place of Ghost Bandits, dead set on impeding Team Wendy's progress.
8th Seed: Marauders (Bandit x4, Barrel Spider x5, Shadow x10, Poker Face x5)
7th Seed: Sluggers (Fat Bandit x1, Large Body x2, Pot Spider x1, Barrel Spider x1, Poker Face x4)
But having familiarized themselves with the enemies' respective strengths and weaknesses, Team Wendy was ever the dominant force in the Pegasus Cup. No one seemed to stop them!
6th Seed: Pots & Bolts (Pot Spider x5, Yellow Opera x5, Green Requiem x3, Poker Face x6)
5th Seed: The Big Combo (Fat Bandit x3, Search Ghost x8, Poker Face x5)
4th Seed: Toadstool (Black Fungus x3)
Team Wendy made their way to the fourth seed to find themselves facing three Black Fungi, a new type of Heartless and one of few among the rare variety. A Black Fungus had a spherical pitch black head with two glowing beady eyes, and wore a round purple cap on its head that sported two black angular spirals on its front, along with a navy blue smock that completely covered its legs and thin fingerless arms, the Heartless emblem present on the front. The audience initially viewed the Black Fungi as a minor nuisance, judging from their slow and lunky movements, and thought they were a cinch to beat. But the moment Team Wendy came into contact, the crowd's doubts turned into shock as they discovered the Black Fungi were anything but harmless. A Black Fungus could make itself invulnerable for short periods of time and release poisonous gases to paralyze its foes, making it a very hard nut to crack. But Team Wendy, flexing the extent of their healing magic and items, exploited the Black Fungi's weaknesses and destroyed them all. Winning the Cup was just around the corner...
3rd Seed: Pots & Barrels (Pot Spider x10, Barrel Spider x10, Poker Face x8)
2nd Seed: Giant Impact (Fat Bandit x5, Large Body x4, Poker Face x10)
Wendy twirled her Keyblade around, "That was easy!"
Donald tossed his staff in the air and struck a pose, "For Daisy!"
Goofy rolled his shield down his arms, "A-hyuck! Not bad, huh?"
Sherria crossed her hips, "You fought the rest, now you fought the best!"
Romeo wiped his nose with a grin, "That was cool!"
The Greek announcer stepped into the ring as soon as the action in the semi-final match subsided. "It's time for our main event, folks! Will Team Wendy earn another championship victory? Introducing their final opponent to my right:" He thrust his arm to the hypogeum on the other side, "Roquefort Roulette the Deadly Card Magician!"
A round of applause and cheering filled the Coliseum as half the crowd's attention was focused on the iron gates, expecting the final wave to emerge. Abruptly, the cheers died down when they saw to their confusion that Roquefort hadn't made his entrance from the hypogeum yet. The silence dragged on for a short time until suddenly, a flash of purple lighting zoomed from the night sky and struck the arena, nearly scaring Team Wendy and the audience. From where the bolt made its mark, six orbs of golden energy rose and fused together to form a giant astral cube. The cube shattered like glass as a well-dressed man in bizarre face paint blew the exterior with a single palm before gently floating down, excess electricity revolving around his body. The guild master of Poker Face had arrived, and his marvelous entrance had drawn the admiration and praise of many a spectator.
Sherria whistled, "Now that's what I call an entrance."
Goofy stated, "He sure knows how to make one."
Donald agreed, "Even though he's one of the bad guys."
Wendy questioned, "Is he the one in charge?"
Sherria nodded, "Lucky guess. He's Roquefort Roulette, Poker Face's guild master. A master magician, king of deception, and a well-known variant of Card Magic. He has some nasty tricks up his sleeve, so we better be careful!"
Romeo confirmed, "Card Magic, huh? Sounds like a tough one to beat."
Wendy wondered, "Isn't his magic the same as Cana's?"
Donald asked dryly, "You've got to be kidding me. We get to face a guy with a kooky design like that? Look at him! He's so weird with the purple suit and the yellow makeup! What is he made of, solid gold?"
Roquefort remarked, "Ah, so you've made it thus far, Wendy Marvell, the Keyblade master and her band of wizards who knocked down our dark guilds like dominoes! You handled my relentless army of Poker Face wizards like it was a piece of art, made your way to the final stretch of the Pegasus Cup... I'm almost impressed." He clapped his hands enthusiastically, "A round of applause for more runts of the litter. Just in time for the final act. But if you think you are to keep up with this pitiful charade, you must be foolish to believe it so."
Romeo taunted, "Isn't it about time for your retirement, old man? This is the part where we defeat you, stop another dark guild, and win the tournament. You may as well give up, 'cause your plan's messed up as your makeup."
Donald shouted, "Yeah! You can't beat us, so get lost, you sack of sunflower... whatever you are!"
Roquefort chortled, "My, my, I see a crowd of big talkers. Unfortunately, words won't be enough to dissuade me from the curtain of doom about to befall you. You have had your fun quashing my minions like bugs. Still wanting to halt the Alliance of Evil, I suppose?"
Wendy asked, "You know we're saving our Fairy Tail friends, don't you?"
Roquefort shrugged, "Can't say that I blame you. Since you destroyed four dark guilds and slew two leading council members, you've put us in quite a pickle. No matter. These trivial setbacks will be disregarded when you meet your ends. And this is where I come in."
Sherria scoffed, "Yeah, right! Have you ever seen us beat guild masters, sorcerers, and creatures of darkness? Even with your parlor tricks, you must be crazy if you think you can take on the five of us!"
Roquefort smirked, "Don't misunderstand me. I am capable of handling more trash than one. I'll make you disappear from the face of this earth with my cards, the deck of power and control over the forces of nature in my hand! Is it a crime for a superior wizard to personally enlighten you..." His tone grew deadly in his last statement, "...with a painful reminder of how futile your efforts are?"
Wendy glared, "Say whatever you want. It won't change a thing. We're gonna fight you. And we'll win!"
Roquefort sneered, "We'll see about that..." He stanced with his arms raised in a cross, and a magenta magic circle formed below him. "How kind of Kaze Viriniam and Sleepy Hollow to pay me of my honorable services. One of many is to exact swift judgment in this Coliseum. I will gladly deliver you to them... in body bags."
Goofy asked, "How much is Kaze payin' you to put us on your hit list?"
Roquefort replied, "I have no reason to answer, mutt. Your destruction will be all that mattered. Why not have some fun while you can? This is all part of the game, you see. And we know who's going to win!" As the magic circle beneath him shone brighter, three sets of multicolored cards erupted from the surface: the first in his left hand, the second in his right, and the third enlarged into defensive barriers. He swung both arms, dispelling the summoning seal in a powerful blast.
Donald sweated, "I think I misjudged him..."
Goofy shivered, "He's playin' cards!"
Roquefort declared, "This is the end, you meddlesome brats! You're all at the top of the execution list, for am I Roquefort Roulette, the great master of Poker Face!" He assumed a fighting stance with his cards flicked in his fingers, "You will never leave this arena alive... Have a taste of my cards of death!"
Wendy countered, "We're not gonna let that happen, Master Roquefort!" She and the rest of her friends quickly readied themselves for the final bout. The Pegasus Cup was nearing its ultimate conclusion.
1st Seed: Roquefort Roulette the Deadly Card Magician
"Card Magic: Heaven, Carnage, Shade, Mountain: Underworld Storm!" As Roquefort shifted his fingers to assemble the cards with the selected attributes, a magic circle appeared in front of him. He issued forth a stream of violet skull-shaped lightning bolts, blowing Wendy and the gang back with great force. The Sky Maiden was able to stick her Keyblade into the ground to stop sliding back, but didn't see the Poker Face head honcho flipping more cards. "Aether, Cutting Edge, Earth: Mystic Sword!" Two sets of three cards morphed into ethereal swords in Roquefort's hands, enabling him to slice at Donald and Goofy in a lightning fast combo with blade-like projectiles of energy. He approached Wendy, and the two engaged in a sword fight that lasted over a minute. "Lightning, Reverse Tower, Abyss: Chaotic Bolts!" Another shuffle, and a volley of emerald lightning beams was fired, striking Sherria in the chest and forcing Wendy and Romeo to roll away. "Cutting Edge, Inferno, Homing: Brimstone Daggers!" The cards were transformed into spinning rings of fire chasing the members of Team Wendy in circles, some able to graze their skins.
"Freeze, Heaven, Judgment, Sphere: Devil's Eye!" Roquefort threw four cards into the air, which combined into an astral eyeball characterized by various attack threats, including ground pounding, crystal shooting, and even a devastating ice laser fired from its eye. After two minutes of enduring the wrath of the Devil's Eye, Wendy and Donald destroyed it with their combined Fira spells. "Freeze, Inferno, Earth: Ice Eruption!" Roquefort planted his cards into the ground, causing it to erupt in a geyser of icy flame. The geyser almost caught Donald and Goofy in its grasp, had it not been for Wendy casting Vernier to fly the two out of harm's way. "Heaven, Wood, Wind, Spiral: Leaf Cyclone!" Roquefort swiped his next set to unleash a wave of razor-sharp leaves, cutting Goofy down in shambles. "Heaven, Reverse Wind, Shade, Abyss, Double: Black Hole..." After a shuffle, the Poker Face guild master created a black hole, drawing in Donald before trapping him inside. "...and Mega Laser!" When Roquefort had the royal court magician right where he wanted him, the next step was a wide laser beam that stretched from one edge of the stage to the other. It even changed its direction slightly, just in case someone managed to avoid the black hole. It hit Goofy, who was dazed by the Leaf Cyclone attack, and when the Mega Laser dissipated, both him and Donald were sprawled on the ground.
"Donald! Goofy!" Wendy exclaimed.
"He's one tough magician!" Romeo tensed.
"Like I said, tricks up his sleeve," Sherria reminded.
"Too bad all that effort can't buy you skill," Roquefort mocked. "My Card Magic is far greater than any level a user could ever reach! Consider it an honor to be destroyed by the very elements in the palm of my hand! Nothing is impossible for me to control!"
"Sky Dragon's Roar!" Wendy breathed a powerful hurricane towards Roquefort.
"Barricards!" With a swing of his hand, Roquefort signaled the magic card barriers to assemble in front of him. One of them cushioned the Sky Dragon's Roar before making it disappear.
"He deflected it?" Wendy gasped.
"Rainbow Fireball!" Romeo threw a multicolored fireball against Roquefort, who motioned a Barricard to take the front and then dispel it completely. "It didn't work, either!"
"You see those card-shaped barriers?" Sherria told her teammates. "They act as shields to protect Master Roquefort from all sorts of attacks."
"I see them, too," Wendy nodded. "They're right alongside him!"
"You figured it out, haven't you?" Roquefort smirked. "The cards serve as both my offense and defense. Whatever attacks you can throw at me, my Barricards can easily brush them away like houseflies. Even a Dragon Slayer's power is no match for their absolute defense! Try as you might, you can't land a single hit on me with them around to protect me!" He gestured to his card barricades to make his point, "We both knew I was going to win from the start."
"You think something like that's gonna intimidate us?" Romeo retorted. "Where there's a will, there's a way."
"I doubt you can find a weak spot, boy," Roquefort scoffed. "My Barricards are invincible. Every manner of attack has no effect on them. You may as well be dead!" He charged at Romeo, summoning a Mystic Sword and hitting the Rainbow Fire wizard multiple times. Romeo gritted his teeth, unloading the colored flames in his fists to counter much of the Poker Face guild master's attacks as much as he could. Some flames tried to land a hit on Roquefort, and he even resorted to punching and kicking. In the end, the Barricards bounced every blow back. "Mystic Sword, Freeze, Inferno: Frostfire Sword!" The scheming guild master came forward again, dashing past Romeo before he even realized he was struck in separate angles by a blade of fire and ice. "Heaven, Abyss, Shade, Reverse Tower: Grave Dancer!" Swiping four cards, Roquefort generated a stream of glowing skulls ricocheting across the arena to finish off Romeo.
"Not on my watch! Thunder! Gravity! Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" Fortunately, Wendy rushed in for the save and blasted away the skulls with random spells. She then helped Romeo stand up to his feet and cast Cure to heal several wounds.
"I needed that," Romeo smiled weakly. "Thanks, Wendy."
"Don't thank me yet," Wendy smiled back. "Let's deal with him first."
"Finished already?" Roquefort taunted. "Perhaps it takes more than ten shuffles to snuff you out."
"Sherria said those card shields deflect all sorts of attacks," Wendy thought out loud. "We gotta do something about them first."
"Nothing else to say? Good. Now it's my turn..." Roquefort drew two Mystic Swords and engaged in a clash with Wendy's Blue Mistral, all the while using several Barricards as extra defense. Romeo and Sherria provided backup to the Sky Dragon Slayer using their own melee attacks, the three young wizards focusing their respective magics on their arms and legs for boosts in speed and accuracy.
"Sky Dragon's Claw!" When Roquefort missed a Mystic Sword swipe, Wendy flexed her wind-induced legs to launch him in the air.
"Kinetic Cards!" Roquefort tossed out several cards enhanced with explosive energy.
"Sky God's Boreas!" Sherria released a black tornado that destroyed the cards in one blast.
"Inferno, Blossom, Reverse Tower, Cutting Edge: Flame of Rose!" Enshrouding himself in a huge flower composed entirely of fire, Roquefort sent its scorching thorns and petals after Wendy, Romeo, and Sherria, who dodged every attack with ease. As soon as he landed on the ground, he prepped up his next card shuffle while performing more Kinetic Card swipes. The three heroes managed to elude or deflect all the card projectiles, but soon they were caught off guard by Roquefort's slide attack. "Lightning, Wind, Lovers: Lightning Spin!" The Poker Face guild master spun in a tornado-like fashion, emitting electricity around his arms, smacking Wendy and her friends all over the stage. With enough momentum gained, Roquefort pinned them against the arena's invisible walls. Wendy bounced back towards him, who used a Mystic Sword to throw her up in the air. This allowed him to knock her to the floor with another Mystic Sword, trash her in a second Lightning Spin, and push her backwards with a Leaf Cyclone. "Ocean, Inferno, Carnage: Wildfire Tsunami!" Roquefort then released a massive storm of flame as the expected final blow.
"Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!" Wendy swished her hand and summoned a large tornado to extinguish the firestorm closing in on her. "Sonic Blade!" Once she recovered, she implemented her supersonic thrust attack to hit Roquefort and his Barricards six times. At the end of the contest, the Poker Face guild master countered Wendy's Keyblade swing with a set of cards, the collision emitted a huge shockwave that had a sudden effect on the Barricards. Wendy could see the changes taking root from the settling dust; spasms of energy enveloped the card-shaped shields, taking a circle shape of some sort in each. The electricity surrounding the Barricards soon came to a halt before she could learn more. As the dust cleared, Wendy turned to face Roquefort. "What's going on? I saw something glowing from those card shields..."
"Never have I encountered someone as predictable as you. Why do you even try?" Roquefort mused.
"I won't stand by and watch my friends get hurt!" Wendy shouted.
"Couldn't agree more!" Romeo leapt forward onto his knees and threw a Purple Fire Fist that forced the Poker Face guild master to reel back.
"Save some for me!" Sherria added a Sky God's Bellow to the mix, only to be dispelled by a Barricard.
"Heads up!" A Thunder spell rained down on Roquefort and his Barricards, courtesy of a revitalized Donald.
"Gotcha now!" Goofy smacked the vile magician across the face with a Goofy Tornado before he and Donald rejoined the rest of the team. For a moment, it seemed the momentum shifted in their favor.
"You five wish to suffer all at once? So be it!" Roquefort growled, rubbing the wound inflicted on his cheek.
The audience watched in pure awe as Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, and Sherria engaged Roquefort in a heated five-on-one handicap brawl spanning the course of four minutes. Every attack was parried or countered with the upmost accuracy, and every spell was bounced back with deadly precision, resulting in minor explosions scattered in multiple angles. Carla and Juvia, almost pushed to the brink of desperation, expressed their hope in Team Wendy's victory from the comfort of their seats. At the same time, though, they had the slightest feeling there was something familiar with the way Roquefort used his magic.
Juvia thought out loud, "What's this bizarre-looking man's obsession with cards, anyway? I mean, he even combines elements of different kinds to create powerful combinations, in very much the same way as Cana."
Carla pondered, "If his magic is anything like hers, then..."
"Heaven, Wind, Wings, Solid Gold, Explosion, Cutting Edge: Wings of Wyvern!" As the epic clash met its turbulent end, Roquefort's next card shuffle sprung forth large wings from his back, made out of steel the exact same color as his face paint. With his Mystic Swords in both hands, he chased after the members of Team Wendy while attacking them with a random assortment of sonic slashes and explosive feather bullets. Every so often, he would alternate between spells from Flame of Rose to Grave Dancer, flustering the heroes ever further.
"Alright, that does it! Blizzara!" Donald sent a flurry of ice crystals to freeze the incoming volley of golden feathers, and they erupted in a cloud of fire that blinded Roquefort temporarily. "Thunder!" Seeing his chance, the royal court magician summoned lightning bolts by the time the smoke disappeared, only to have them deflected by the Barricards. "Gravity!" Donald then conjured a gravitational field to subdue Roquefort, who matched it with a Black Hole, creating a standstill until Goofy propelled behind the Poker Face guild master with a rising shield uppercut.
"Aether, Illusion, Lovers, Quadruple: Desperado!" A mere gesture of four cards, and Roquefort split himself into four individual copies, effectively causing Goofy to miss his attack. Nothing could have prepared the royal knight for a second Roquefort appearing next to the first, and then another, and another after that, each color-coordinated magician joining their Underworld Storms to send his opponent flying back. A laughing Roquefort landed down on his golden wings, absorbing each of his duplicates as he approached Goofy down on one leg with Donald alongside him. "The roast duck and dog casserole is ready! Shall we open some champagne?"
"Who do you think you are, you pale-faced palooka?" Donald barked. "We're plenty stronger than you!"
"Is that what you think? Foolish feathered rat!" Roquefort derided. "When faced with the power to control the elements, all humans and beasts alike are but as trash before me, as you will soon discover!" He set up his next shuffle, "Carnage, Wind, Shade: Severing Wind!" A bombardment of invisible hard air bubbles fired out from the cards and struck Donald and Goofy all across their bodies. The two went flying back a few meters before crashing into the floor. "Now the roast can begin... Desperado!" Roquefort once again split into four and was ready to finish Donald and Goofy off without pause. "Wildfire Tsuna—"
"Stun Impact!" Wendy conjured a sphere of electrical energy from her Keyblade, paralyzing the four Roquefort duplicates before their combined attack could commence, and forcing the original to absorb them back at the same capacity. With that advantage, she pummeled the stunned Poker Face boss with a fierce 9-hit combo. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" She hammered him down with her wind-powered arms. "Blizzara!" Crystals of ice were shot from the Blue Mistral and sent rushing towards Roquefort, but the Barricards moved in and cancelled them out, giving him ample time to recover.
"You managed to strike me before my Barricards protected me? Unexpected..." Roquefort hummed.
"I'm a quick learner," Wendy responded.
"Nonetheless, your tricks are nowhere close to challenging mine. I'll show you real power! Wings of Wyvern, Heaven, Sound, Reverse Tower: Off Wave!" He charged the energy of two cards into his golden wings and proceeded to release three red circular shockwaves that cracked the earth beneath Wendy and knocked her away with great force. "Abyss, Reverse Wind, Heaven: Mega Laser!" He fired a wide laser beam from three cards, prompting Wendy to cartwheel out of the way. "Inferno, Reverse Tower, Earth, Carnage: Hot Bed!" He summoned a volley of fiery skulls to burst out of the ground, which the Sky Dragon Slayer slashed her way through using the Blue Mistral. "Heaven, Wind, Noise: Soundwave Edge!" He clapped his hands together with his cards, unleashing a vertical cyclone composed of screeching sound waves. Wendy met Roquefort after she got past the wave, using her Sky Dragon Slayer Magic to keep herself from being pushed away as she tried to get a hit on the Poker Face head honcho. Failing that, she leapt out of the noise and blasted the ground where Roquefort was with Fira and Blizzara, then used a Sky Dragon's Roar to launch herself back for more space. The Barricards absorbed the crystals and fireballs, but the tornado blast almost got Roquefort, who forced himself to change direction.
Meanwhile, Sherria rocketed towards Roquefort, who used Desperado]once more to deliver a fourfold Soundwave Edge. The black winds empowering her arms and legs, however, provided the necessary boost to get up close and clap her hands over her opponent's hands. Less than a second of silence was broken by the sound backfire caused by a detonation of Sky God Slayer Magic right in Roquefort's face, becoming one person for the third time as he was knocked in the air.
"You persevered..." Roquefort made an aerial recovery via his golden wings. "But you can never hope to hold a candle to me!"
"Purple Fire!" Romeo hopped behind the distracted Roquefort and slugged him in an 30-hit combination of flaming punches and kicks, sending him crashing to the floor at the last hit. He dashed at his opponent for a second round.
"Aether, Abyss, Ocean, Poison: Poison Tide!" With a sway of his arms, Roquefort released a tidal wave of poisonous water to wash over the ring.
"Sky God's Bellow!" Sherria split the tidal wave in two with a black tornado blast, allowing Romeo to break through the water.
"Gotcha now!" Romeo slammed his fiery fists against Roquefort, who continuously parried with a Mystic Sword.
"Make some room!" Sherria assisted Romeo in the clash by flinging her own magic-powered fists.
"When are you two ever going to learn your lesson?" Roquefort taunted.
"What about you? Have you learned yours?" Romeo boasted.
"Class is now in session!" Sherria declared.
"Is that so? Off Wave!" Roquefort flapped his golden wings to blast Romeo and Sherria out of his sight with crimson shockwaves, thus pinning them against the invisible walls. "Wyvern Scales!" He launched a barrage of explosive gold feathers at the downed wizards, bombarding them across the arena. "Chaotic Bolts! Wildfire Tsunami! Leaf Cyclone!" What came next was a torturous string of elemental spells that Romeo and Sherria struggled against, only to be overpowered when they were trapped in a Black Hole before being blasted by a Mega Laser. The next minute, they found themselves battered on the ground. "Now who learned their lesson?" Roquefort once again flexed his golden wings. "I shall crush you with—"
Before the Poker Face mastermind had the chance to finish, his golden wings were torn apart by an invisible sharp force at supersonic speed. Had it not been for Wendy, who cast Arms X Vernier on herself for enhanced speed, flight, and attack power, her injured friends would have been finished off. As Wendy and Roquefort landed, the severed Wings of Wyvern faded away in a cloud of dust without the user's magic to sustain them.
Roquefort sneered, "You're just a nuisance, little pest. Or are you just playing dumb? Either way, you will soon find out how wasted your efforts really are! Killing you off after you've experienced total pain is merciful, is it not?" He held out his cards, a purple magic circle appearing in front of him. "Severing Wind!" Without warning, Wendy was assailed at different angles by multiple air bubbles. However, despite the projectiles blasting into her, her resistance to the element kept her well protected against Roquefort's spell, and she was able to consume much of the air around her to replenish her strength. When the Severing Wind ceased, Roquefort saw his opponent still standing and unscathed. "Just as I thought. All I see is a sniveling goose!"
Wendy declared, "You're gonna eat those words!" Both wizards charged and engaged in a titanic struggle between Keyblade and cards, warding off and jumping over each other's attacks, and varying spells were often the popular options when melee attacks were the least reliable. Cards were flung, steel was scratched, Barricards were raised, and a flurry of elemental magic spread while the audience sat back and watched.
Two minutes later at the end of the duel, Roquefort cast Desperado and split himself into four functioning duplicates, three of them distracting Wendy long enough for the original to ready his next set of cards. "Shade, Poison, Eternal Bind: Eldritch Whip!" The cards merged with his left hand and converted it into a black magic lasso emitting a venomous fume, evoking a serrated appearance, as it generated more force than the user could normally produce alone. He wrapped it around the Sky Maiden's chest, and the substance composing the material began to sink in.
Wendy let out an agonized scream as she felt her life force being consumed by the Eldritch Whip's poison, her legs slowly beginning to shake. "I feel... my energy... slipping from me..."
Carla and Juvia cried out in shock, "Wendy!"
Roquefort gloated, "It's useless! You have nowhere to go, and there is no one to save you from me!" A Mystic Sword popped into his free hand, and he prepared to land the finishing blow on his powerless adversary. "Get over here!" He yanked the whip, forcefully dragging the weakened Keyblade wielder towards him.
But unknown to the Poker Face guild master, Wendy gathered every ounce of her remaining stamina for a surprise attack the moment she got close. "Sonic Blade!" She embedded the Blue Mistral into Roquefort's chest, causing him to convulse and emit showers of ethereal sparks, as if he was jolted by a powerful electrical current. He lost the Eldritch Whip's hold on Wendy, who pulled the Keyblade from his chest and relieved herself of the lasso's poisonous effects by casting Cure. Elsewhere, a slowly recuperating Romeo shifted his position to one side and could plainly see his friend standing in front of the enemy whose magic had gone haywire.
Roquefort struggled to control his unrestrained magical power, but to no avail. "W-What's happening to me?! I— AAAGHH!" And finally, the erratic spasms imploded and passed its energies throughout the entire arena. The floating Barricards were all caught by the blast, and the effect it had on them was startling— shapes of keyholes at the front of each card had taken root from the unexpected reaction!
Wendy was amazed at the gravity of her actions; the Barricards crackled with an unknown substance in one span of the match, and the next thing she saw were keyhole-shaped circles. "Keyholes...? There's a keyhole hidden in every card? Could this be the reason why they're acting weird when my magic and his collided? Did I just..." She was perplexed for a short moment, until an idea buzzed into her head at having exploited what may be the only weakness of these card-shaped barriers. "Wait, that's it! I think I know how to stop them!" She turned to look at where her still conscious comrades were. "Guys, I just found out! Master Roquefort's barrier cards are like doors! If I can unlock them, maybe they'll disappear!"
Sherria blinked, "You sure about this? The Barricards are actually defensive doors?"
Wendy nodded, "I'm positive. It happened when he lost control of his magic."
Romeo added, "Hey, I saw the whole thing, too! We may have a chance!"
Donald asked, "So the Keyblade can make the nasty floating card shields go away?"
Wendy replied, "It's worth a try. I have to find out!"
Goofy quipped, "Nothin' a little Keyblade can't fix, right?"
Romeo cried, "Alright, time for some payback!"
A sick revulsion rose in Roquefort as the sparks dissipated, and when he realized where he was, his affliction turned to fury. "Nice try! But it won't be enough to bring me down! When I'm done with you, you will be the main course at the feast to come! Your friends are a bit too gaudy to be the dressings, though!"
Wendy remained unfazed by the Poker Face guild master's insults, as her four friends regained their strengths and gathered around her on either side. "You're wrong, Master Roquefort... You're the one who's going down."
Roquefort smirked, "I wouldn't count on it. I still have my Barricards! They protect me, and nothing you can do can destroy them."
Wendy shouted, "We'll see about that!" She aimed the Keyblade at one of the Barricards and fired a beam of light towards its keyhole-shaped circle. At the sound of a lock, whiteness engulfed the Barricard, and then it vanished.
Donald and Goofy remarked, "Wow!"
Romeo and Sherria breathed, "Whoa..."
Wendy cheered, "It worked!"
Roquefort's face paled in utter disbelief at what he just witnessed. "B-B-But— What— How? This is not possible!"
Sherria smiled, "Hey, we're just as surprised as you are. You had no idea your Barricards have a weakness, don't you?"
Romeo smirked, "Looks like the odds are in our favor now! We can take him down, no problem!"
Roquefort bellowed, "Why, you little...! NO ONE insults Roquefort Roulette! I will make you suffer more than you can ever think possible!" He drew two sets of cards in both hands, brimming with malicious kinetic energy.
Donald asked, "What's the plan, Wendy?"
Wendy began, "I'll take care of the Barricards..."
Romeo nodded, "...while we handle the rest."
Sherria stated, "As soon as the cards are down..."
Goofy confirmed, "...it'll be a free-for-all."
The strategy was set. Team Wendy was even more resolute in ending Roquefort's devious masquerade. "Let's do it!"
"Kinetic Card: Royal Flush!" Roquefort furiously threw his deck of Kinetic Cards at a pace so rapid that the energized projectiles traveled in a blur. But despite the incoming volley, Wendy and her friends stood tall and cut through the cards sent their way without a twinge of hesitation. Later, a defensive wall of Barricards blocked their path, leaving Wendy to shoot beams from her Keyblade at the central keyholes and release the magic within, making the cards disappear into thin air. Once Team Wendy approached Roquefort, Romeo threw a fist of Yellow Fire, but the scheming magician performed a backflip and knocked him down with a 7-hit Frostfire Sword combination. Romeo got back up and threw another Yellow Fire punch that passed through the fading light of a Barricard Wendy had already vanquished, allowing him to give Roquefort a good sock on the jaw.
Roquefort swiped at Wendy with a combined assault of his Mystic Sword and Eldritch Whip, but she cartwheeled out of the way and slashed him nine times. Moments before his back hit the floor, he conjured up a Soundwave Edge and directed it below his legs to push himself upright. He cast an aerial barrage of Grave Dancers and Brimstone Daggers at the group. Donald eradicated the glowing skulls with Thunder, while Sherria quenched the flaming daggers with Sky God's Bellow. By the time Roquefort hit the ground, Goofy raised his shield to deflect a dozen Kinetic Cards, then hit the opponent with a Goofy Tornado. The Poker Face guild master retaliated with a Lightning Spin, and he charged at the opposing team with two Eldritch Whips. Wendy and Sherria were engaged into a violent obstacle course, ducking and jumping over the toxic lassos. Seconds later, the Sky Dragon Slayer hopped over a double whip attack and dispelled two Barricards on sight, while the Sky God Slayer smacked Roquefort with a rapid fire black wind-induced punching technique. The last punch crashed him into the wall, and it was only a short moment before he stood back up.
A frustrated Roquefort panted heavily, voicing his complaint to the diminishing number of Barricards. "Why?! Why won't they protect me?! Have my Barricards actually FAILED ME?!"
Romeo quipped, "What part of 'We make a great team' don't you understand?"
Roquefort roared, "THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! Abyss, Reverse Wind, Heaven: Mega Laser! Abyss, Reverse Wind, Shade: Black Hole! Mega Laser, Black Hole, Multiply, Lovers: LAZY LAZER!" He shuffled multiple cards in a wild frenzy, resulting in a Mega Laser being fired into a wormhole that reappeared at different locations and at separate angles.
Donald quacked, "Wak! He's gone completely nuts!"
Sherria shouted, "I think it's time we scatter!"
The Lazy Laser passed from one wormhole to another in every corner of the arena. It hurled Wendy and her teammates into a grueling dance to the death, testing their speed and agility. Thankfully, no one got hurt once the giant beam passed.
Wendy breathed, "That was way too close..."
Romeo confirmed, "Remind me not to overlook him."
Roquefort declared, "You won't win! You can never defeat me!"
Sherria grinned, "Oh, really? I'd look behind if I were you."
Roquefort began, "What are you talking—" He turned around without even realizing that Goofy rammed his shield into his stomach, tripped him off his legs, and broke his chin with a Goofy Rocket. Donald cast Fira on the downed Poker Face wizard, who motioned a Barricard to absorb it, until Wendy made it disappear with her Keyblade, allowing the fireball to pass through and damage the enemy. Donald then cast Gravity, reducing a portion of Roquefort's health. Soon afterwards, Wendy delivered a 15-hit slash, followed by a Sky Dragon's Claw and a Sky Dragon's Wing Attack. The last thing added to the team combo was a Rainbow Fireball from Romeo.
Sherria laughed, "Told ya so!"
Roquefort coughed, "No... I will not... fall here... I still have... a lot in me... Card Magic: Hot Bed! Mega Laser! Leaf Cyclone! Underworld Storm!" With a new terror and hatred condensing in his mind, he scrambled deck after deck of magic cards to dish out a wide array of powerful spells with different attributes. However, because he was greatly weakened from taking a lot of damage, and that the spirit of Team Wendy never faltered, the young heroes overcame every obstacle, demonstrating great tenacity and courage. The epic struggle often led to a few duels between one member of Team Wendy and the Poker Face boss, all the while Wendy used the Keyblade to dispel any Barricard in their path, one by one. It was not long before Roquefort was pushed past his limit and to the point of desperation, that he had to resort to drastic measures. "Inferno, Ocean, Wind, Freeze, Heaven, Abyss, Shade, Wood, Metal, Aether: Refulgence!" Where he planted his cards, a massive sphere of ethereal energy rose and attempted to swallow Wendy and her friends, who quickly leapt back to avoid the wide area attack.
"Sky Dragon's Wave Wind!" After the Refulgence dissolved, Wendy retaliated with an enormous tornado.
"Barricards, Reverse Tower, Metal, Glass: Mirror Force!" Roquefort countered, gathering his last remaining Barricards and mixing them into one substance. Coupled with the cards' blended properties, he released an invisible mirror-like wall that absorbed Wendy's Wave Wind, before he pushed it in a bid to stop her.
"Dragon Slayer Secret Art: Shattering Light: Sky Drill!" Wendy responded by flinging herself towards the Mirror Force, her legs transformed into a giant wind drill. The moment she struck the barrier, the astral glass wall showed signs of breaking until finally, it shattered into a million pieces, along with the image of where Roquefort once stood.
"Fooled you, didn't I?" Roquefort appeared behind Wendy. "Aether, Illusion, Lovers, Reality, Multiply: Copycat!" Taking advantage of the opening, he drew energy from five cards in his fingers, splitting into an army of magical clones of himself. They encompassed the arena, floating over Wendy and her teammates with their magic cards drawn.
"This doesn't look well," Romeo tensed.
"There's too many of them!" Donald cried.
"We're surrounded!" Goofy panicked.
"It's over, you miserable scum! You have nowhere left to run!" the Roquefort clones laughed evilly, their voices mingled together into a harmonized chorus scorning and jeering the cornered heroes. "I've said it once, and I'll say it again. The forces of nature are in my hand, and only a far greater wizard has the power to control them! This is the end! Prepare to be blown away to oblivion!"
"HERE IT COMES!" Romeo screamed, as he and the others braced themselves.
"Royal Flush!" The Roquefort clones were on the move, sending down a rain of infinite cards.
"Stun Impact!" Acting quickly, Wendy took the full brunt of the card storm by letting loose the Keyblade's energy in the form of an electrical sphere, which soon enlarged into a huge protective barrier around herself and her friends. Millions upon millions of cards powered by the very elements drove into the sphere, but no matter how many flew and how strong their respective attributes, they ended up being deflected repeatedly. Endless ripples in the electric surface, the rain of cards bounced back, a flash of light, the Roquefort clones being tossed away, the original skidding across the stony ground...
And then there was a cloud of ash and dust smothering the arena. Donald, Goofy, Romeo, and Sherria looked around wildly, but Roquefort could not be seen, save for a voltaic barrier surrounding them, before it faded away. Wendy's Stun Impact had saved everyone in the nick of time, but doing so after withstanding an infinite mass of magic cards cost her much of her energy. Wincing in pain, she clutched her side and panted profusely, but looking over to her friends, she took comfort in knowing they were safe. "Is everyone okay?"
Sherria replied, "Never better, thanks to you."
Donald smiled, "You saved us, Wendy! Thanks a bundle."
Goofy agreed, "Yup, that was a gusty move."
Wendy's only response was a weak chuckle before she suffered a small cough. She pulled a Potion from her pocket and guzzled it up, allowing its healing effects to settle in. Just as she was about to have a respite from surviving the onslaught of the Roquefort clones, concerns of what happened afterward crossed her mind. And then she spotted something behind the fume of falling ash. "Look!" Wendy's call alerted the rest of the team, and they looked in the same direction. Judging from the silhouette, they all knew who it was.
Roquefort was kneeling in the dirt, his eyes staring brokenly at the group with only one card in his hand, his face paint deformed and dirtied. He held up the card, which had long since dissolved into ember. "Look at this. You've burned away my entire card collection." His eyes shifted to Wendy, the one to blame for his current predicament. "The force of your attack from all the energy I've sent at you was released into a shockwave that evaporated every deck in my possession. Every spell I have and can come up with, my clones, my elemental powers, all of it... gone. My Card Magic..." He paused to let the bitter truth sink in, "...is useless now. You've robbed me of my greatest talent."
Sherria deduced, "Wendy's attack absorbed them all and sent them back! Guess that explains all the ash falling around us."
Donald smirked, "Well, well, well. Looks like you've drawn your last card, sunshine. Care to throw the match for us? Or would you like another beating from us? Your choice."
Roquefort was silent for a moment until the fire of defiance returned to his eyes, as did his cocky smirk. Rather than pout or whine about how he lost to Team Wendy, he responded to Donald's suggestion with a slight chuckle, showing no signs of breaking in spite of being outsmarted in his own game. "You think just because you destroyed my decks means it's the only thing I'm specialized at?"
Goofy asked, "Whadaya mean?"
Roquefort stated, "This isn't over yet. I'll have you know that I've mastered another great talent."
Wendy titled her head in confusion. "Hmm?"
Having found the break he was looking for, Roquefort took time to process the befuddled looks on Team Wendy's faces before announcing his final trump card to make it sound intimidating and bone-chilling. Finally, he revealed in a voice dripping with pure blackness, "Null Space."
The group repeated, "Null Space?"
As Roquefort rose from the earth, his eyes suddenly shifted from its crimson color to a menacing grey shade, and his pupils grew larger into swirling vortexes with white lines encircling all the way to the center. Silvery lightning congregated around him, the storm growing ever stronger now that his final attack was in effect. This time, he would finish Wendy off, swiftly and without mercy, and finish the job. Next, Roquefort began to form a pearly energy sphere in-between the open palms of his hands.
Donald demanded, "Hey! What's going on?!"
Goofy panicked, "H-H-He's windin' up!"
Sherria sweated, "So much magical power!"
Romeo nodded, "Yeah, I feel it, too!"
Wendy gasped, "That magic you're using... That's Null Space?"
Roquefort answered, "Correct! This spell is capable of trapping everything into a closed-off space where absolutely nothing exists! Once you're imprisoned in the most isolated pocket dimension in the universe, there will be no escape! You will be gone forever!"
Wendy's heart raced at hearing the extent of Roquefort's spell. "An imprisoning spell?!"
Romeo yelled in disbelief, "You're insane!"
Roquefort sneered, "Think what you want, it doesn't matter." The grey sphere in his hands grew bigger and stronger, "Now, let's see just how well you handle an eternity of nothingness in the void beyond!" Just as the silvery lightning continued to intensify, what appeared to be flakes began to magically peel off from his skin, though he didn't seem to mind. "Even if it risks losing this body I've inhabited, even if it means sacrificing a lot of magical power..." His voice erupted to a venomous scream, "...my spirit is ETERNAL! NOW SUFFER!"
Wendy gulped, "Uh-oh!"
Sherria screamed, "Look out!"
Roquefort raised his fully-charged sphere aloft, preparing to throw it at Wendy and her friends. The mind-numbing emptiness hungered for victims, but the real enmity was tucked away in the world behind the silver hue- a murderous chill that sent shivers down their spines. One throw, and oblivion would be but a moment away. Until...
"Stop!" Wendy hoisted the Keyblade up high before Roquefort took action, a brilliant white light blinking at the tip. Her chest was encircled by Roman numerals counting from one to twelve in the shape of a clock, angled by eight green crystals to form a barrier of sorts around her. It was not long before the null space sphere was caught by the same spectral clock in its snare, and a split second later, time suddenly froze. The orb lay still, frozen in Roquefort's hands, the lightning empowering it came to a grinding halt.
Roquefort gasped in shock upon discovering his ultimate technique as stiff as a statue floating in midair, and that Wendy had somehow performed the feat. "What?! No! This can't be!"
Even Wendy herself was astounded at her first successful Stop spell. "Hey, it worked! It stopped his attack at my first try!"
Sherria admired, "Wow! Wendy, did you do that?"
Romeo asked, "Is that the new spell you're using?"
Wendy nodded, "Yeah. Thought it'd be a good time to test it out."
Goofy confirmed, "So ya cast Stop to freeze his magic in place..."
Donald reminded, "It won't last long, though. The effect's about to wear out!"
Wendy determined, "Leave this to me! Sky Dragon's Claw!" She hopped over in front of Roquefort and flexed her wind-induced legs, applying tremendous force to launch the time-frozen sphere into the air. "And it's outta here!" She then brought the Keyblade around to make contact with the sphere as it fell, transforming it into a silver bullet that soared straight into the hypogeum where the rest of the Poker Face guild were. What looked like a pearly cloud peeked out in the ceiling above the cast of dark wizards, a hole in space-time that only grew in size as it made its mark. Before they realized the danger looming over them, the roar of wind sucked them all into the void, flinging them into a world of nothingness. Poker Face was as good as dead, doomed to oblivion by their master's own attack in an unforeseen outcome.
Of course, no one in the arena became aware of the dark guild's unexpected downfall, even Roquefort's concerns lay with his null space attack being reduced to a mere projectile by the Keyblade master. "WHAT?! HOW?!" he exclaimed, not paying mind to the continuously peeling flakes of his skin, or the fate of his guild for that matter, as he set his frustrated gaze on Wendy. "It's impossible to compress null space!"
"Maybe, but I had a little help from the Keyblade's magic," Wendy gestured to her weapon. "With this, not even null space can stop me!"
"Yeah, Wendy!" Sherria cheered for her friend. "You're the best!"
"This changes nothing!" Roquefort snarled. "I will still have the last laugh! I'll conjure up more null space, and you will all be thrown into the infinite abyss! HA!" He brought his hands back together for a second attempt at a new space-time hole... but something went amiss. Instead of a portal to null space, a fraction of pearly lightning danced from his open palms and passed over his muscles. Roquefort winced in pain at the lack of Magic Energy required, and looked down at his left hand to find it flaking away. "What... What's going on?" He grew afraid as he witnessed the rest of his body withering. "I'm losing control of her body... No, it's different...! I'm... fading away... Oh, no!" It was at that moment that his greatest fear had been realized. "I THINK I WASTED TOO MUCH! OH, SHIIII—" Those were the last words of the last Poker Face wizard, whose entire being faded into a cloud of particles rising into the sky.
"H-He's gone!" Donald gasped.
"Holy cow..." Goofy muttered.
All that was left of Roquefort was a slim young woman with mid-back length brown hair lying unconscious in the ground. Her attire consisted of a blue bikini top with white edges flanked by wavy hollowed trimmings, a black capris pants with a pink belt, a pair of metal bracelets adorning her biceps, four metal rings with two on both wrists, and high-heeled sandals. The most prominent feature was the black Fairy Tail stamp located on the lower left part of her abdomen right above her hips.
"Wak! He turned into a woman!" Donald shrieked.
"Uh, I don't think he's a gal. She's just lyin' there from where he disappeared," Goofy noted.
"Hold on! Isn't that..." Sherria began.
"CANA?!" Wendy and Romeo exclaimed. Carla and Juvia rose from their seats and shared the same reaction.
Before the Greek announcer would step into the ring to address the winner of the match, Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, and Sherria rushed to the aid of Cana Alberona, the card wizard and Fairy Tail's resident alcoholic who had long since passed out following Roquefort's demise. Romeo knelt down on one leg, giving her shoulder a nudge in a bid to wake her up. "Hey, Cana! Are you alright? Say something!"
Wendy knelt alongside the Rainbow Fire wizard and nudged the other shoulder, ready to use her healing magic as an extra measure if need be. "Cana, please! It's us! We're from Fairy Tail!"
Sherria quickly recognized the figure lying before them. "Hey, I remember her! She's Cana Alberona, the Fairy Tail girl who got the highest score in the Magic Power Finder Challenge at last year's Grand Magic Games!"
Donald questioned, "You know the lady in the bikini top?"
Goofy added, "Another one of your Fairy Tail friends?"
Sherria nodded, "I've known every competitor to some extent, so yeah."
Donald questioned, "But how did she appear in the ring from where the bad guy went away?"
Goofy commented, "Gee, it's kinda like he's hoggin' her up while she's sleepin' the whole match."
Sherria assumed, "Or maybe he's a ghost that possessed her body."
Cana soon opened her eyes, and the brightness blinded her for a time. Squinting until her vision adjusted, she saw Wendy and Romeo kneeling over her. She stretched her arms and yawned, "Oh, hey, kids. Nice weather we're having... or maybe not. Is it late today or what? Can somebody tell me the time?"
Wendy cried happily, "Cana! You're okay!"
Romeo greeted cheerily, "Good to see ya!"
Sherria answered, "It's night time."
Cana rubbed her hand over her forehead, trying to ease herself from the slight pain. "Oh, okay. Thanks for informing me. I don't mind how late or early it's been, to be honest. I only asked you a question. Here's my next one: Where am I right now, and how did I get free from Roquefort's possession magic?"
Wendy and Romeo echoed in shock, "Possession?"
Donald and Goofy shivered, "G-G-G-G-Ghost?!"
Sherria confirmed, "Called it."
Cana responded, "Uhhh, more or less. It happened not too long ago after the hit on our guildhall, when my body played host to the phantom of a dark guild master."
Wendy gasped, "Master Roquefort was a spirit? He possessed your body?"
Cana groaned, "Yeah, I know it's hard to explain, but it's the truth. You'd be having a drink or two when you hear me spill the beans on this whole scenario." As soon as she made that statement, she could feel her stomach rumbling, a clear sign of her ravenous thirst for liquor. "And I could really use one myself. I'm so parched, it makes me wanna guzzle down ten gallons."
Romeo smiled, "She's still the same drinker we know back at the guildhall."
Sherria grinned, "One more Fairy Tail member down."
Wendy sighed, "At least it's over with. All that's left is..."
The Greek announcer entered the ring and addressed the result of the match to the audience, "Ladies and gentlemen, another dramatic conclusion to another great tournament! Here are the winners of the Pegasus Cup, your two-time champions... Team Wendy!" As he gestured to the winning team, the crowd burst into cheers, confetti showered from the sky, and the members of Team Wendy celebrated another well-earned victory. Amid the festivities, Carla and Juvia pushed through the jubilant mass of screaming fans on their way to the arena to tend the people who survived the gauntlet. By the time she recovered and stood up from the unfamiliar soiled, Cana was initially startled of her current surroundings, considering she had little knowledge of what transpired at that time. Wendy and company promised to explain everything once the victory party ended, and the card wizard eventually decided to join in. The Coliseum committee gathered in the arena to present Wendy and her teammates the Pegasus Cup trophy, which had been painted gold with wings and an arrow adorned on top. They graciously accepted.
Somewhere near the hypogeum, a certain hero and his coach sat clapping their hands with brilliant smiles on their faces, as they watched the fastest rising stars in the Coliseum's recent history earn a second championship win...
Lobby
As Wendy, Donald, Goofy, Romeo, and Sherria met up with Philoctetes, Juvia, and Carla in the vestibule, they received a warm reception in honor of their victory, while the trophy was placed next to the Phil Cup stone frame. Even Hercules, who made his return after completing a recent errand to watch what may be a spectacular final bout, was most impressed. At the same time, though, there seemed to be speculation revolving around the woman in the bikini top who took the place of the last opponent shortly after he expired— another victim ensnared by the dark guilds. Cana took it upon herself to clear the air on Poker Face's involvement. The guild master, Roquefort Roulette, was revealed to be a ghost possessing victims and feeding on their Magic Energy in order to sustain his limited lifespan. His curse originated about a decade ago when he pricked his finger on the sharp end of a demonic artifact in his blind quest for power, turning him into a living spirit who sought to prolong his existence by seeking out stronger bodies to live in. Every body Roquefort inhabited rejuvenated him for a time, but overusing his magic or staying in his current body for too long took a heavy toll on his life force, often resulting in body rejection, or in worst cases, death. When the Alliance of Evil recruited Poker Face, Roquefort's need for new hosts grew dire after Earth-land was destroyed, for his supply on vessels had run short. Thus, he resorted to possess one captive Fairy Tail wizard— one with the same capacity as the magic he mastered— to gain a physical form until a future replacement could be found. His hopes were short lived, however, and his overconfidence cost him dearly. His end was all but certain, and his chains no longer had influence over Cana.
When Cana asked what Wendy and her friends had been doing while she got stuck playing the scapegoat for Roquefort, they filled her in about their quest to reunite the Fairy Tail guild, search for King Mickey's whereabouts, and topple the vile dealings of the Alliance of Evil and their collection of dark guilds. Strange new locations where dark creatures known as Heartless went rampant and the stuff of legends and fantasies turned out real was something out of the blue for Cana, but no matter how high the risks, her resolve to get to the bottom of this web of intrigue was strong and true. She would have her peace once everyone was found, so that they would give the people responsible a rude awakening.
"Okay, I didn't expect you kids would go on a grand adventure to save our friends in every corner of the universe," Cana crossed her arms. "It's not every day someone in our guild shows up where you know the works around here."
"Kinda, I guess," Wendy giggled slightly. "So far, we rescued Levy, Elfman, Lisanna, Asuka, and her parents. They're in a world called Traverse Town, hanging out with some friends we made in our adventure, so they're gonna be fine. Of course, Juvia decided to come along because she wants to find out where Gray is."
"Well, by that definition, you mean those guys are in good hands," Cana surmised. "Can I see them?"
"Why not?" Wendy smiled. "We'll take you to catch up with the others, if that's alright with you. But if you wanna help us..."
"I'd take your word over doom and gloom any day, kiddo. Hearing them still alive and well is good enough for me," Cana grinned. "I owe you big time for looking after our friends, if not all of them. Oh, and for beating up that pervert freak show before you ripped him off my body. Assuming you hadn't done any damage to it."
"Umm, we didn't mean to..." Wendy said nervously.
"It's okay, I'll deal," Cana chuckled. "Between getting enchanted by the ghost of a dark guild master and flipping over the hourglass, this out-of-body experience is like a warmup."
"How can being taken over by a ghost be a warmup?" Romeo questioned.
"Many ways," Cana replied casually. "When Roquefort took over my body, I felt as if my soul was taken to a world that's foggy and hazy. I could think and feel, even without a body, but I couldn't do anything to break out of that limbo. But all good things come to those who wait, right? I endured my out-of-body experience while waiting for someone to set me free. You know the rest."
"Yeah, sorry it took so long to save you," Wendy admitted. "But things turned out fine in the end."
"You're really strong to hold out for us, Cana," Romeo remarked. "And that was cool."
"Did I mention 'tough as nails' is my middle name?" Cana winked. "Roquefort should know better than to deal with a girl like me."
"Y'know, you're pretty hot and juicy-lookin'," Goofy complimented. "For a Fairy Tail gal, I mean."
"Hey, I was gonna say the same thing!" Philoctetes interjected. "You rookies rescued a new D.I.D. after winning the Pegasus Cup. Funny, ain't it? A trend about heads rollin' in the final match of one Cup in the Games over who gets the sweetest girl. And I'm lookin' at her right now!" He examined Cana with a playful smirk. "Hey, baby. You lookin' for a trainer of heroes after the little squirt saved your hide? If you say yes, as a bonus, I'll get you a front row seat next to mine for the next Oedipus Rex—"
"Uh, hate to break it to you, but goat guys just aren't my type," Cana shook his head. "I only fall for the dashing and totally handsome kind of guys..." She gestured to Hercules, "...almost like the hunky muscle man next to you."
"D'oh!" Philoctetes cringed at his rejected offer. "You're really mowin' the grass outta my lawn here!"
"Sorry, Phil," Romeo smiled innocently. "Maybe next time."
"Well, lots of fans usually go nuts over me for my incredible strength and enormous biceps," Hercules stated, flexing his muscles for emphasis. "They even made a 30-minute workout scroll."
"A workout scroll?" Sherria echoed.
"Not just that. There's a whole bunch of merchandise based after me," Hercules continued. "Air-Hercs, Herculade, urns and vases with my face painted on them... A hero's gotta have some sort of reputation based on how hard you work."
"Merchandise?! You really are famous!" Sherria gasped.
"Care to buy some? There's a Herculade stand in the gift shop," Hercules offered. "It's the best drink with a premium quality, it makes you feel like a hero."
"No thanks," Sherria shook her head. "I'm just wondering how popular you are, that's all."
"Your name's Cana, right?" Goofy spoke to the card wizard, who nodded in reply. "Like Wendy said, your pals are safe and sound in Traverse Town. We'll find all of 'em, and we'll bring your guild back together. We can do it!"
"I think I'm starting to like you and your duck friend," Cana smiled. "I should hang around more often."
"So you're in?" Wendy turned to Cana. "You'll help us?"
"Anything's better than hanging around with creeps like Roquefort," Cana smirked. "I've still got a lot of fire in me. They might think I'm a pretty face, but I'm so much more."
"Well, why didn't ya say so?" Goofy rushed over and happily shook her hand. "Welcome aboard, Cana! Good to have ya with us!"
"Whoa!" Cana was caught off guard, but she nonetheless reciprocated. "Nice grip you got there, hot dog."
"A-hyuck, she called me hot dog..." Goofy couldn't suppress his blush.
"Wait, what?" Donald raised an eyebrow.
"Thanks, Cana. We could use your help," Wendy smiled.
"Ready to rumble as always," Cana smiled back.
"Anyway, you should come see our Gummi Ship," Goofy suggested. "Not only does it have state-of-the-art defenses, but it's also got a first-class lounge packed with food and drinks. It's guaranteed to keep ya stuffed and fluffed like a pillow till we reach the next world."
"All you can drink? Sweet!" Cana brimmed with excitement. "Being in your company doesn't sound so bad after all."
"Uh, okay..." Donald said unsure. "Just don't make a habit out of it, okay?"
"No promises," Cana shrugged. "We still agreed on something."
"So the leader of Poker Face was a wraith all along," Juvia thought out loud. "Such is the dreaded fate of an unfortunate soul who tried to tamper a sacred rule of magic."
"The one thing that troubles me is Kaze's role in this whole dilemma," Carla frowned. "She hired them to do us in. Any lesser dark guild would go along with her twisted way of doing things when we least expect it."
"I bet she's leaving the work to them when she can't do it on her own," Romeo assumed. "I wonder what she's up to now..."
"Our only course of action at this point is to seek out more allies and locate the enemy's base," Carla crossed her hips. "There seems to be no other option."
"Yeah," Romeo nodded. "Everyone's waiting for us out there. No doubt about it."
"I saw the final match," Hercules told Wendy. "And what you did back there was great! Looks like Phil's trained another great hero!"
"Thank you, Hercules," Wendy appreciated. "I wouldn't have won without the help of my team."
"That incredible show you've put up at the arena made me wonder why Phil didn't let you in the Games sooner, especially that Sherria girl," Hercules smirked. "You might even give the Spartans a run for their money."
"He's talking about me!" Sherria mentally squealed to herself. "I'm definitely gonna..."
"Let's not get carried away, Herc," Philoctetes reminded. "There's more ways to go. And for the record, I didn't pick them; they came to me! They practically begged for some quality hero-coachin' from yours truly! Sure, the cupcake and her crew are two-time champs now, but they're nowhere close to being heroes."
"Yeah, I suppose so. We're still junior heroes, after all," Sherria sighed.
"You just had to bring that up, won't you?" Donald grumbled.
"What's the most important part in being a hero?" Wendy wondered.
"Well, a true hero is measured by the strength of his heart," Philoctetes answered.
"Strength of heart? You mean, a strong heart?" Wendy ascertained.
"Did I hear an echo in here? Of course it's a strong heart," Philoctetes nodded.
"What makes a strong heart?" Goofy questioned.
"Hey, if you have to ask, you're not a hero yet!" Philoctetes scolded.
"Stop talking in riddles!" Donald snapped.
"It's not a riddle! It's something you gotta discover for yourself!" Philoctetes barked.
"I believe I told you that during the 'junior hero' ceremony," Hercules pointed out.
"Ah, phooey. This is gonna take forever," Donald moaned.
"Patience is a virtue, Donald. We'll know when we get there," Carla informed.
"Yeah, Donald. Since when did you mope? That is so not like you," Sherria smiled.
"I wasn't moping! I was just..." Donald protested.
"Umm, Phil, about what you said..." Wendy began.
"If we're done talking, I'm giving you the prize for your victory in today's Games," Philoctetes cut her off, as he reached his backside and pulled out a glowing sphere with the symbol of a wheel continuously spinning in place. Unfamiliar to the number of Magic Orbs Wendy and Donald collected, the sphere harbored an attribute the group had not seen since their stay in the Deep Jungle, an attribute Goofy was quick to recognize.
"Gawrsh!" Goofy exclaimed, taking the orb from Philoctetes and examining it. "That's a new Ability Orb! And this one's the legendary Strike Raid move. Haven't seen this one in ages!"
"Strike Raid?" Wendy repeated.
"It allows you to throw the Keyblade in a powerful spinning attack more than once at a fast pace," Goofy described. "You catch it back in your hand after each toss, and the more you toss, the stronger the magical effect gets. Strike Raid's good for hittin' enemies at long range."
"Sounds amazing! I'm gonna have to try this one out." Wendy understood the contents within the Ability Orb and tapped it with her Keyblade. The sphere dispersed into particles of light and became one with her body, thus adding Strike Raid to her growing collection of Keyblade techniques.
Coliseum Gates
"See you in the next tournament! Maybe someday we'll have a match between you and me!" Hercules signaled his farewell to the entourage as they made their exit via the main gate. As much as Wendy wanted to give her say in Philoctetes' advice on what was the measure of a true hero, she knew there was more work to be done in places beyond. Her theory would have to wait.
"Hey, you rookies better train harder, 'cause there ain't no runner-ups in the next Cup!" Philoctetes delivered his own message to the departing group.
"Yeah! Thanks again! We'll see you soon!" Wendy waved back with a cheerful smile.
The group said their goodbyes, and opened the giant double doors to reveal the heavenly stairway leading down to the Gummi Ship. A new player had joined the party at the end of Roquefort's final scheme, and the chances of building a unified army with enough strength to combat the Alliance of Evil may be just around the corner.
The smile on Wendy's face soon faded only after she stood between the Gummi Ship and the end of the path, and she looked to the setting sky with different thoughts in mind. "Kaze... Who knows where she is and what she's doing right now..." Doubt and anxiety clung to her heart as she began to recall the mysterious white line between herself and her rival. "Who are you? What do you want from me?" Her fear deepened at the most troubling thought of all, "Why are we connected...?"
MEANWHILE...
The whirring of power tools, the flickering of bloodied tiny blades, the trading and passing of glass pieces, and the flash of fluorescent lights above the patient's head. A comatose Kaze Viriniam was placed in a surgical bed, her mouth covered in an oxygen mask that breathed gas into her lungs to keep her sedated and numb until the end of her operation. Her bleeding chest was cut open to reveal the fractured Dark Drive lacrima, thanks in no small part to Sleepy Hollow's medical staff, who worked around the clock to repair the limiter of her unrestrained dark power. Little by little, pieces of glass were placed to fit what was lost or broken apart, and then glued. If Kaze were to wake up with an incomplete Dark Drive, her darkness would run loose again and destroy everything around her, and thus the doctors took measures in ensuring she stayed asleep. Fortunately, she lost a lot of oxygen amid her isolation in outer space, so that gave them an advantage... The only thing she could do at this moment was to breathe in the scented air filling her lungs, as if she was lost in a dream, never to feel pain.
From the observation room, Maleficent and Silver Ornithurae looked on with grim concern for the wizard who fell at the end of her previous endeavor. The horned witch opened her eyes and glared at the unmoving and bloodstained body of her young subordinate. Without even turning an eye, she addressed Silver, "Would you be so kind as to explain to me how your master came back before us in her pitiful state?"
Silver paused to wet his lips, dry from the tension of the moment, and made an assumption, "It must be Wendy Marvell. She must be the cause of this." He clenched his fist, shaking with shock and fury. "How is this possible? No one has ever stood up to Master Viriniam and survived!"
Maleficent questioned, "Do your fellow warriors know of this?"
Silver responded, "Apparently not. Wrecker is currently in need of a new spiked chain ball. Diva and Zeppelin are still in their assigned worlds."
Maleficent's visage of coldness turned to one of interest. "Hmm... I see."
The door to the operating room creaked open, and out came the head surgeon accompanied by a nurse. Silver looked over and asked, "Well? Do you have anything to report on her condition?"
The surgeon reported, "Commander, the Dark Drive's suppressant magic is still intact, but the heart resonator is damaged beyond repair. Without the device needed to amplify the radiation control waves from the circulatory system to the muscles, she cannot access it properly. We're currently redoing the Dark Drive's structure to replace the old resonator with a new one. It may take a while, but we'll expect a complete recovery."
Silver suddenly banged a fist on the wall in anger. "Blast it all! They not only bested her, but exploited her weakness as well! Master Viriniam knew she couldn't control the darkness within herself... Even with all that tremendous power, it should've have been effortless."
Maleficent turned her attention to the Headless Horseman. "Yes, it is quite obvious that your master has lack of control over the dark powers she possess, herself more so. You see, her downfall is her own doing."
Silver raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Are you implying she is reckless?"
Maleficent explained, "Make no mistake, young man, it is not my place to judge her loyalty. No matter how many demons she has wrestled and tamed, she simply cannot resist the temptation. Her obsession and attachment to Wendy brings along with the wounds she bore a crippling weakness. The moment she put her desires before the tasks ahead of her..." She paused to let this sink in, "...disgrace is all she has. Which is why she must remain here as you continue her treatment. When it is done, I'm going to have a word with her."
Silver crossed his arms and looked away from the witch's gaze. When he stared back at the surgical bed, concern and doubt was all he felt for his unconscious superior. "Kaze... Is this all you think of? Are you so intent on pursuing the girl for your own ends... that you will forsake even your honor and pride?"
Maleficent advised, "The path to your desires is only found through a heart that is straight and narrow. I pray Kaze learns that lesson when she wakes up." She looked out the observation window one more time, where the operation was still underway. "And so we must press on." With a deep sigh, she turned around to face the head surgeon. "Detain Kaze until further notice. Make sure she is properly contained during the healing process."
As the doctor nodded and turned to leave the observation room, Silver began to frown. "All of a sudden, you're in control? Does that give you power over us?"
Maleficent clarified, "I do what I must to keep a poor soul in check. Is it not a crime for doing so?"
Silver was about to give his rebuttal when he noticed the observation window about to crack. The evil sorceress, then the entire medical staff traced the vibration to Kaze, where dark smoke emanated from the blood and glass in her chest.
An invisible jolt struck Kaze's body, causing it to shake and twitch erratically, though she was still in a sleep-like trance. She barely felt her face twist in utter despair, or heard her voice whisper in a shaken tone through the oxygen mask. The only thing she sensed was cold, such intense cold, like when she was taken by a vicious hailstorm. But then, nothing felt more colder than the visions. Shapes of light swirled before her in the dream, faces long forgotten that lurked in a paradise of green. Shrouds and clouds all about. They were drawing nearer, or was she drawing nearer? So close...
The operating room was filled with unceremonious shouts from the doctors and nurses. The dark matter continued to flow from Kaze's chest as she quivered violently. "An extremely powerful dark pulse has just been generated! Injecting decompressing agent..." Nothing the medical staff did in their power could suppress the growing darkness. "No, the level's not dropping! A sudden meltdown is inevitable!" The head surgeon frantically turned to Silver and spoke through the observation window before it was about to break. "Commander, it's too late! We've got to take shelter!"
Silver felt his heartbeat increase the moment he stared at the violet flames licking away at Kaze. "Master...!"
Maleficent could hear the screams of panic and the fracturing of glass, yet it mattered little to her. Her eyes were locked onto the glowing entity in the surgical bed, drawn in by the dark luminescence. The light may appear beautiful to most, but if one could look close enough to discover the menace within...
BOOOOOOOOOM!
Waves of heat and shattered glass washed over the room, followed by an ear-splitting boom and sounds of anguished people falling victim to the blast. While Maleficent was unaffected by the impact, Silver shielded his eyes until the dark pulse was no longer felt. He hurried over to the nearest medical officer and tried to jostle them awake, but they were entirely motionless. His eyes then fell unto where Kaze had been, still resting in the bed as if nothing happened, not minding of the chaos she inadvertently caused. She remained immobile, the wide cut on her chest ever present, but the oxygen mask was removed from her mouth. Silver looked at Kaze for a while longer, his breath caught up in his throat. "Master..."
"...W-Wendy... Blue... berry... Grandee... ney... Co... C-Cous..."
Those were all the words Kaze could utter before she returned to the security of sleep, and the darkness around her faded. Gasping, Silver rushed to his master's side and cradled her in his arms, silently praying for her safety and health.
Kaze's whispers had not gone unheard by Maleficent, who observed the result of the accident with a wicked smile creeping up on her lips. She had become aware of the connection between Kaze and Wendy, and that connection may yet one day prove to be of vital use in the events to come.
Author's Note:
I know this is a long chapter and I'm sorry it took me four months to post it, 'cause I originally intended to post it at the end of the year, but I hope it's worth the long wait. Thank God for your patience and understanding! Coming up next is the first chapter of the arc focusing on Atlantica, believed by most fans to be the least favorite world in the first Kingdom Hearts game. There, Wendy and her friends will battle Ursula and one of Sleepy Hollow's Headless Horsemen, Diva, for absolute dominion over the seas, and they'll reunite with a certain celestial wizard we all know and love. Guess who?
By the way, for those who are interested in different fanfic stories, I intend to post new ones after Kingdom Fairy Tail is finished. Should I do Sonic Injustice 2? Fairy Tail's Toy Story 3? Please, give your thoughts and I'll see what I can do to appease your reading appetites.
This is TheSavageMan100 singing out, and I'll see you next time. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go buy Kingdom Hearts III and play it. And who knows? Maybe it'll brainstorm me with even more bright ideas. Don't forget to fav and review. Peace!
