Ch. 13- We Hear You
Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima
Story and OCs © Me
The air was filled with nothing but grim silence. There was nothing but rubble and destruction all around... and worse still, Nirvana was still on its course toward Cait Shelter... and in the midst of it all were Natsu, Gray, Lucy, Happy, Haru, and Blue Fang... all of them lying motionless on the ground.
It was like nothing they had ever seen before. The moment Brain's alter ego, Zero appeared before the group, he instantly went on the attack. Nothing they did even so much as fazed him... and even worse still was the fact that the first enemy that the group had encountered that ever instilled fear into their hearts. Even Natsu, who was normally the bravest of his friends, was in a state of unease. Try as they might to fight back... Zero proved to be more than a match for them, and with the heroes too terrified to even move, the master of Oración Seis made short work of them all, and then left them there, certain that he had finished them all off.
With Nirvana getting even closer to Cait Shelter... things were looking very bleak, indeed. As the city rumbled with every step... there was this ominous noise that sounded almost like a machine being charged, but then, there was the sound of a colossal BOOM! Soon after this, it almost felt as if the city itself tilted before righting itself... and soon after that, Haru groaned as she began to regain consciousness. With a slight grunt of pain, the Beast Wizard slowly pushed herself up... and yet, with shaky arms, she soon collapsed back on the floor. She panted heavily, the whole world a blur to her eyes. She could just barely make out the shapes of her brother, her friends, and her faithful silver wolf, all strewn helplessly nearby... but try as she might, Haru just couldn't find the strength to stand. No matter how much she tried to will herself to pick herself up, being hit by Zero's magic just left her completely drained.
It seemed that this young beast had finally lost her fight.
"Hello? Can anyone hear me?! If anyone can hear me at all, please respond! Hello?!"
Haru's eyes opened slightly as she heard that voice.
"...Hibiki...?" she whispered.
"Oh! Miss Haru! I didn't realize you were conscious! You just appeared on my Archive screen!"
"What... what's happening?" Haru asked.
"Listen to me... we don't have much time!" Hibiki called. "I'm sending out a telepathic to whoever can hear this! Miss Erza, Wendy, Jellal, and even Master Ichiya have all responded!"
"Where are you?" Haru asked as she sat up.
"We're on board Christina," Hibiki answered. "Using Lyon's Ice-Make Magic, combined with Miss Sherry's Doll Magic and Ren's Air Magic, we were able to get her airborne, but only for a short time! Eve managed to hit Nirvana's legs with his Snow Magic, but all we did was slow it down! However... I'm afraid we've all reached our limits! We can't attack from the outside, anymore!"
"What?!" Haru questioned, concern etching her face. "A-are you guys okay?!"
"Don't worry about us!" Hibiki shouted. "There's something I need to tell you all, so listen carefully! It took me a while, but I finally managed to retrieve it from my Archive! I've found the way to stop Nirvana!"
Haru gasped in surprise, and by now, Blue Fang groaned as he began to awaken as well.
"Are you sure?!" the Beast Wizard asked.
"Nirvana has six leg-like appendages!" Hibiki confirmed. "These legs are actually pipes that suck up magical energy from the earth! At the base of each leg, there is one Lacrima that supplies the extracted power!"
"Then we'll find the Lacrimas and destroy them!" Haru pointed.
"Wait! There's more!" Hibiki called. "You need to destroy the Lacrimas, simultaneously! Do you understand?! If you don't destroy them all at the same time, a Self-Repair Lacrima will undo the damage you've caused!" He was then heard making a grunt of pain, causing Haru to gasp. "I... don't have much longer... so... whoever is on Nirvana, you must hurry! The cannon will charge again in 20 minutes! I've already uploaded the timing to your brain!"
Haru gasped as she felt an odd sensation as if somebody had inserted an image into her head.
"I... I see it!" she exclaimed.
"Great! Now hurry!" Hibiki shouted... only for someone else to answer.
"Why should you even bother?"
Haru gasped, feeling a crawling sensation go down her spine as she heard that deep, chilling voice.
"Zero...!" she whispered in horror.
"That's right," Zero answered. "This is Master Zero of Oración Seis... and I know all about your useless plan to stop Nirvana. Although, I must commend you, Hibiki Lates. I never expected your Archive Magic to be on par with Brain's... but listen closely, you Wizards of the Light... everything in existence is about to be destroyed by me! I already got rid of Salamander and his little friends... and even if they're alive, they're probably too terrified to face me! You say you'll destroy the Lacrima in a simultaneous strike... well, guess what, you brats: I'm already standing in front of one of them, right now, and as long as I'm here, you'll NEVER be able to destroy them all at once! Face it... you have no hope!" He then cackled madly before his telepathy disconnected.
"...Oh, no..." Haru whispered in a shaky voice, clutching her hands to her heart, which pounded rapidly in her chest.
"Ugh... it's... no use..." Hibiki was heard saying. "I'm already... nearing my limit..."
"Hibiki?" Haru asked, only to be met with silence. "H-Hibiki?! Hey! Say something!"
No answer... and all Haru could do was whimper as she suddenly found herself trembling.
'I can't...' she thought. 'I can't do it...! I know I have to... but I'm too scared! How am I supposed to face someone like that?!'
XXX
On the downed Christina... Lyon groaned and coughed as he lied within the wreckage... staring up at the sky.
"Gray..." he muttered. "Come on, now... if this is really how weak you've gotten after our encounter Galuna... then I must say, as your senior, I'm highly disappointed. Don't tell me..." He coughed. "Don't tell me that... something like this would take you down? After all... you survived everything I could ever throw at you." He then gave a bloody smile. "Come on, Gray... stand up... show those people what a disciple of Ur can do."
Nearby, Sherry groaned as she lied on the deck, next to a motionless Ren.
"You know something?" asked the Doll Wizard. "I really don't like saying the word 'hate'... but I really, really hate Lucy... sure, she's pretty cute, I'll give her that... but sometimes, she lets her vanity get the best of her and she can be a bit clumsy... but I suppose I can't talk about her." She then sniffled as tears welled up in her eyes. "When she tries... she gives it everything she has... and I must admit, I envy her for that. While I wouldn't mind if she did end up dying... it would actually leave a very bitter taste in my mouth... so Lucy, if you're alive... you'd better answer me, understand?!"
XXX
In Nirvana's empty streets, Erza looked up at the sky while Jellal, Wendy, and Carla stood with her. The Requip Wizard took in a deep breath before she exhaled, a determined expression on her face.
"Haru?" she asked. "Listen to me... I know you're probably too far away to hear me, but you need to hear this. I know how you can be a bit emotional and impetuous at times... and there are often times you feel like you're not strong enough, especially when the odds are against you... but even when things were looking bleak... you've always managed to keep pushing yourself until you couldn't, anymore! You still have so much to learn and I know that sometimes, you feel like you can't keep going... but I know you can do it, Haru! You and Blue Fang both! Don't give up, yet! Until things absolutely look hopeless, don't you dare give up!"
"I know you can hear me, too, Tomcat!" Carla shouted. "Don't you dare give up after everything that's happened, do you hear me?!" She then cast her eyes to the ground, clenching her paws tightly. "I'm... I'm not saying I've come to like you or anything like that. They say cats have nine lives, after all, so I'm sure you have at least a few lives left in you... don't you?!" She then sniffed and wiped her eyes. "...Please... please, say something...!"
Wendy bit her lip before she swallowed thickly, then put on the same determined expression as Erza did before she looked up to the sky.
"Natsu!" she called out. "It's me, Wendy! I know you can hear me because you're a Dragon Slayer, just like I am! Please, wherever you are... please, please get up! You can't die, not here! Not now! Because if you do... who will save our guild?!" She sniffed, trying her hardest to fight off her tears. "You promised... remember? You promised you'd save Cait Shelter! So, please, Natsu... if you can hear me... please answer me!"
XXX
Hibiki groaned, beginning to finally lose consciousness... before he raised his fingers to his temples, attempting to use his telepathy, one last time.
"Natsu... Haru... everyone... can you... hear us...?" he asked.
XXX
Natsu slammed his fist against the ground, seething as he held his hand to one knee to keep himself propped up. Beside him, Happy trembled as he spread his paws out to keep from falling, his head bowed down. Lucy panted as she clung to a nearby wall, exhausted yet determined while Gray wheezed breathlessly, sitting upon his knees with head arched to the ceiling. As for Haru... though she was shaking, she clawed at whatever she could grab to use as leverage... and sure enough, Blue Fang, her ever-faithful wolf, was at her side, and even though he was not in the best of shape himself, he would not let that stop him from helping his partner to her feet.
Soon, Natsu raised up his head in fierce determination... and he uttered these words.
"Yeah... we hear ya... loud 'n' clear!"
Haru grinned, in spite of her exhaustion.
"...Fairy Tail... never gives up the fight," she said. "Right, bro?"
"There... are six... Lacrimas..." Gray panted. "And we... gotta take 'em out... all at once..."
"And the lucky one... is the one who has to face Zero..." Lucy added with a tired smile. "Right?"
"There are only... 18 minutes left," Happy said. "We have to hurry.. and save Wendy and Carla's guild!"
"That's right, li'l buddy," Natsu said. "After all... I made a promise!"
"...Everyone..." Hibiki said, using his telepathy one last time. "While I still have time... I've downloaded a map into your brains... and it has a number assigned for... each Lacrima... you need to choose one."
"In that case," Natsu said, "I pick Lacrima Number One!"
"I've got 2!" Gray exclaimed.
"Then I'll take 3," Lucy said as she clutched her arm. "I just pray that Zero isn't there..."
"I just got word from Boss Ichiya..." Hibiki said. "He says that he'll take Lacrima Number 4... Erza will take 5..."
"Oh, great!" Natsu exclaimed. "Erza's all better!"
"It was thanks to Wendy's healing," Haru said.
"I will take-" another voice started, only for Erza's voice to cut them off.
"Wendy will take Number 6!" she called.
"Huh?" Natsu muttered. "Whose voice was that, just now?"
Haru's eyes widened, realizing instantly whose voice that was.
'That was Jellal...!' she thought before she cast her eyes downward. 'That's right... Natsu still thinks that Jellal is the bad guy... but... if he was Erza... then...'
"Hey! Erza!" Natsu called. "Who was that, just now?! Erza?!"
It was no use. Hibiki's telepathy had disconnected at that moment, to Natsu's frustration.
"Dammit!" he cursed.
"Poor Hibiki... he gave it everything he had," Lucy said.
"As annoying he was, he was a great guy," Gray added.
"Well... we have our six!" Happy exclaimed. "So let's get going! Whoever gets Zero, they're gonna have to face him on their own since everyone else will be busy with their Lacrima!"
"Right," Natsu nodded before he glanced at Haru. "Sis, come on!"
"Huh?" Haru muttered as she looked at her brother.
"It's you and me, Haru," Natsu replied.
Haru's eyes went wide, realizing what her brother was trying to tell her: that he needed her help. It was then that she remembered what Lucy had said, earlier that day.
"I'm sure Natsu still trusts you! He's not the kind of guy who would hold a grudge against his family! Especially not his little sister!"
"Well?" Natsu asked as he held out his hand to his sister. "You in or out, sis?"
A pause... before Haru's expression quickly turned serious and she clasped her hand with his.
"Let's do it!" she declared.
Next up: Natsu, Haru, and Blue Fang vs. Zero!
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