Ch. 11- A Promise

Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima

Story and OCs © Me

Even though the Fairy Tail wizards were as far as they could get from the battle between Jura and Brain, they could still feel the tremors even from where they were standing, and in the distance, they could see clouds of dust from the ongoing fight.

"I don't believe it!" Haru exclaimed while she sat on Blue Fang's back with Natsu draped behind her. "They're still going at it?!"

"You know," Lucy began while holding Happy, "I almost feel sorry for that guy!"

"Yeah, that old dude's relentless!" Gray exclaimed. "If I can feel the shock of his attacks from here, then no wonder he's one of the Ten Wizard Saints!"

Natsu gave a low groan, causing the others to look back at him.

"That's right!" Haru exclaimed. "We gotta help Natsu and Happy!"

"But how?" Gray asked.

"Hey~!"

As soon as they heard that call, the group looked up to see none other than Wendy, who had Carla slowly descending to bring her down.

"Wendy!" Haru called. "Perfect timing! We need help!"

"What happened?" Wendy asked.

"It's Natsu and Happy!" Lucy replied. "They've been hit with Poison Magic!"

"The tomcat, too?!" Carla questioned. "Honestly, he is hopeless!"

Soon, Wendy came down and used her Healing Magic to cure Natsu and Happy of their poisoning. As she did, Haru soon explained to her what was going on and how they found out that Brain was targeting Cait Shelter for reasons unknown. Although once the Sky Dragon Slayer heard that Cobra had been defeated, she was somewhat relieved to hear about that.

"I'm still worried, though," Wendy said. "Why would that man want to destroy Cait Shelter, first?"

"Who can say?" Lucy asked. "Jura is dealing with that guy, right now, so maybe we'll get some answers, then."

"On the contrary," a voice spoke up, "I have soundly defeated the scoundrel."

With a heavy thud, a harshly beaten and bloodied Brain was suddenly thrown to the ground, causing everyone to look up and see Jura standing over him, and he barely had so much as a scratch on him!

"Mister Jura!" Haru exclaimed.

"Good to see you, old man," Gray said. "I mean... Mister Jura."

Jura chuckled. "No need for such formalities, my friend. I'm just relieved that you are all right."

"Can't say the same for this guy," said Lucy as she looked Brain over. "I mean, you pulverized this guy!"

"He did put up a bit of an effort, I will admit," Jura replied. "Not enough, though." He then put on his normally serious expression. "There is one thing that bothers me though. I was unable to get him to tell me why he was targeting Cait Shelter... and not only that, but right before he passed out, he said something ominous."

"Ominous?" Haru repeated, worriedly. "How so?"

"He said 'When the six prayers vanish, he will appear'," Jura recited, darkly, causing the others to tense.

"Uh... what does he mean by that?" Lucy asked.

"Again, Lady Lucy," Jura replied, "it is a mystery. I also noticed something strange: as he said this, the markings on his face faded away."

"Now that I look again, he's only got two of those weird markings left," said Haru as she looked at Brain's face. "I wonder why that is."

"Well, this is a fine how-do-you-do," Carla spoke as she looked at Brain. "So much for getting answers."

"Well... at least our guild is safe, now, right?" Wendy asked as she had finished healing Natsu and Happy, the latter groaning as he rubbed his head. "That's the important thing!"

"Perhaps not," Jura said as he looked out to the horizon. "Perhaps you haven't noticed, but we are still on the move."

"He's right..." Natsu groaned as he lied on the ground. "I can still... feel it moving...!"

"But that's impossible!" Haru exclaimed. "Brain's down for the count, so that means Nirvana should stop moving, shouldn't it?!"

"Maybe he put it on some kind of autopilot," Gray pointed out.

"That is possible," Lucy said.

"Richard did point out something about the King's Hall," Jura added. "Perhaps the controls are there!"

"Then let's get a move on!" Haru declared as they prepared to run... but a groan from Natsu stopped them in their tracks, causing them to look back at him, incredulously.

"Come on, Flamehead!" Gray complained. "Move your ass, already!"

"I can't..." Natsu moaned.

"I don't understand," Wendy said. "I cured him of his poisoning, didn't I?"

"I don't think it's poison that's the problem, anymore, Wendy," Haru mused while Natsu gagged.

"Oooorrgh..." he groaned. "I really don't think my stomach wants to be inside me, anymore...!"

"Oh, I see!" Wendy exclaimed. "He's got motion sickness, right?"

"Yeah," Lucy replied. "Apparently, it's a Dragon Slayer thing."

"It's totally pathetic," Gray added.

"Wait a minute!" Haru said. "Wendy... you're standing on Nirvana, but you're fine! Why is that?"

"Oh, my Dragon Slayer isn't really at a certain point, yet," Wendy replied. "I'm still pretty young, so I haven't fully honed it."

"Wendy, I know you've been using your magic a lot," Lucy said, "but is it possible for you to help Natsu? Normally, I'd just let him rest his head on my lap while I massage his stomach, but we don't really have time for that, right now!"

"You... let him lay on your lap?" Wendy repeated in surprise while Happy was trying to stifle his snickering, only for Haru to glare at him, which caused him to go silent.

"Long story," Lucy said. "Anyway, can you help him? Please?"

"Well... I actually do have a spell that could work!" Wendy replied as she walked over to Natsu and placed her hands around his head. "This will help restore his sense of balance... Troia." Soon, a teal glow formed from her palms before it was absorbed into Natsu's head... and then, just like that, he sat up straight!

"Whoa!" he exclaimed before he stood up. "I feel awesome! I feel this thing movin', but I don't feel like pukin', at all! YES! I'M CURED! WHOO-HOO!"

"Whoa, that Troia is some strong stuff!" Haru exclaimed.

"It's only temporary, though," said Wendy. "It can only last for a few hours."

"A few hours is all I need!" Natsu declared. "Now let's do this thing!"

With that, the group headed off to the King's Hall, which was the tallest structure in Nirvana... but in doing so, they had left Brain behind.

XXX

"Well... this is the King's Hall," Haru said. "So where's the control panel?!"

The group had managed to climb up to the very top of the King's Hall... and yet, all they saw was an empty roof and stone pillars.

"I don't understand," Lucy said as she looked around. "There should be one here, right?"

"Maybe there's a hidden switch or something?" Gray asked as he patted one of the bricks.

"You don't think that the guy from Oración Seis lied about it, do you?" asked Lucy, worriedly.

"No," Jura replied. "I could see the truth in Richard's eyes. He is not one to lie."

"Well... this is a very fine predicament," Carla mused with a grim expression. "Even though Brain has defeated, there's nothing here that even resembles a pilot's seat or a control panel. In fact, we're the only ones here in the King's Hall... so why is Nirvana still moving?"

"...Don't tell me... we can't stop it," Wendy said with mounting dread. "Does that mean... that Cait Shelter is doomed?"

"Oh, Wendy," Haru said, worriedly as she put her hand on her shoulder.

"Don't be stupid!"

Everyone turned to look at Natsu, who had his back turned to them.

"Natsu!" Lucy scolded. "Can't you be a little more tactful?! Wendy has every right to be worried about her guild!"

"I'm not saying she shouldn't worry!" Natsu said. "I'm saying she shouldn't get herself down like that!" He then looked at Wendy with a determined face. "Wendy... we're gonna save your guild... I promise you that!"

Wendy gasped silently in awe while Natsu grinned at her.

"Think of it as my way of saying thanks for that motion sickness spell of yours," he said.

"Natsu..." Haru smiled while Wendy sniffled, tears of gratitude beginning to well up in her eyes.

"Don't cry yet, kiddo," Gray said as he put his hand on her shoulder. "We're gonna stop this thing... and after that, you can cry as much as you want, okay?"

"We promise, Wendy," Lucy replied. "We're Fairy Tail, and we always keep our promises!"

"...Thank you, everyone...!" Wendy whispered while Carla smiled at her.

'They may be crazy,' the white cat thought, 'and perhaps a bit uncouth... but... they are quite kind.'

"Uh... quick question!" Happy spoke up, finally. "I know we're supposed to stop this thing, but how are we supposed to do that?"

"Well, we'll just smash this thing up until it can't move, anymore!" Natsu exclaimed. "Simple, right?"

"That's your answer to everything, isn't it?" Lucy asked with a deadpan expression.

"Even if we could smash it," Gray began, "something this big could take forever!"

"Perhaps asking Brain would be the fasted way to do so," Jura suggested.

"But we left him back there," Carla pointed out, "and even if we managed to wake him up, I doubt he'll tell us so easily!"

Wendy bit her lip, shuffling her feet nervously. "Well... maybe Jellal could..." She trailed off as she remembered how enraged Natsu was when he saw Jellal, who attacked him without a moment's hesitation after he was cured of his Etherion Poisoning.

"Did you say something, Wendy?" Lucy asked.

"Uh... no," Wendy muttered. "Err... I mean... I think I might have an idea, but I have to look into it, first!" With that, she turned and ran off. "I'll be right back!"

"Wendy, wait!" Carla called as she followed after her.

"Well, that's strange," said Lucy. "What got into her?"

"Hmm..." Jura hummed, thoughtfully.

"Everyone... can you hear me?" a voice called out from nowhere, causing everyone to look around in surprise.

"Hey! Who said that?!" Natsu questioned as he angrily darted his eyes left and right. "Who's there?!"

"It's Richard!" Haru exclaimed.

"Wait, who?" Natsu asked in confusion.

"He's sending a telepathic message!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Who's Richard?" Natsu asked.

"We'll explain later," Haru replied.

"Richard! Are you all right?!" Jura called out.

"Unfortunately, I am not," Richard answered. "I was unable to defeat Midnight. I let my guard down. I implore you... you must combine your might to defeat him! Once you do that, the supply of magical energy to Nirvana will be cut off... and the city will stop moving."

"Now, I get it," said Gray. "This thing is moving through the use of Organic Link Magic!"

"So that's it!" Happy exclaimed.

"Midnight is now directly below the King's Hall... but I advise you approach him with caution," Richard said. "Out of everyone in Oración Seis, he is the most powerful!"

"Wait... what?" Lucy asked, worriedly.

"Good... luck to you all..." Richard said before his voice faded.

"Richard...!" Jura whispered.

"Wait... so that Midnight guy is right below us?!" asked Lucy as she pointed to the floor.

"Well, this works out great for us!" Gray exclaimed. "Now we've got a chance!"

"So, this Midnight guy is really strong, huh?" Natsu asked, feeling his lust for battle beginning to overcome him. "Heh! Now I'm fired up!"

"Well, we know where he is!" Haru said as she climbed onto Blue Fang's back. "Let's go, guys!"

"Right!" everyone agreed as they ran to the bottom of King's Hall.

XXX

"Haha... hahahahaha...! What fools..."

Brain smirked, holding his fingers to his forehead before he let his hand drop.

"Even if I'm defeated... I won't go alone," he said. "I'm taking every last one of you with me!"

With that... he sighed as he passed out.

XXX

The heroes panted as they made their way down the stairs, into the depths of the King's Hall, and as they reached the bottom, they found a pair of stone doors with large faces on them.

"That must be the entrance!" Gray exclaimed.

"Hurry! Not a moment to lose!" Jura declared as they continued to run down the stairs... but as they did, Blue Fang suddenly froze as he stopped in front of the doors, to Haru's concern.

"Blue Fang?" she asked. "What's wrong, boy?"

Natsu growled as he grabbed at the door's handles and began to pull as hard as he could.

"Come on out, you nappin' jerk!" he shouted... but as Haru looked at the door, she gasped in realization before she jumped off Blue Fang's back.

"NATSU, STOP!" she cried as she reached out to her brother... but before she could reach him, the doors were open... and the last thing she saw was a flash of light... followed by a colossal explosion.

Dun-dun-dun!

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