Ch. 14- The Flame of Rebuke
Fairy Tail © Hiro Mashima
Story and OCs © Me
Natsu and Haru both sat on Blue Fang's back as the silver wolf ran as fast as he could through the corridor that lead to the 1st Lacrima. Despite their determined expressions, Haru couldn't help but feel just a tinge of worry, not to mention slight regret for making her exhausted wolf run. She knew that Blue Fang was just pushing himself to get the Dragneel Siblings to where they needed to go... but that wasn't the only reason why the Beast Wizard was worried.
If she knew Natsu, and she did, she knew the real reason why he would pick the first Lacrima: because he knew it was more than likely that Zero was waiting for them, there... and sure enough, as soon as they entered, there he was.
"Well, I'll be damned," said the red-eyed madman, his smug grin not once leaving his face. "I'm surprised you're still alive... Salamander... Beast..."
Natsu and Haru both dropped down from Blue Fang's back, both glaring at their adversary while Blue Fang took a moment to catch his breath.
"So then," Zero began, "what are you foolish brats here for?"
"...What do you think?" Natsu asked with a smirk. "Haru and I here are to kick your ass!"
"We're gonna find out if you break before we do, this time," Haru added.
"Oh, really?" asked Zero before he held out his name. "In that case... come at me!"
"You asked for it!" Natsu yelled as he and Haru both charged at their foe. As Natsu tried to deliver flaming punches at Zero, Haru leapt up into the air and did a whirling kick, but it was easily blocked as she was caught by her leg. The Beast Wizard gasped before Zero swung her at her brother, causing both siblings to tumble to the floor, but they were quick to pick themselves up. As Natsu ran in again, he sucked in a big breath before unleashing his Fire Dragon Roar, but Zero just raised his hand, easily dissipating the flames.
"Well, now," said Zero. "Is it me, or have you both gotten a bit more nimble since our last bout? Not that it matters. You'll both soon meet your end, here." He then raised two fingers, which glowed an ominous blackish-purple aura. "Dark Capriccio!"
Soon, he fired a beam of dark energy at the pair, causing Natsu and Haru to duck down. At first, they thought that Zero's attack had missed... until Natsu went tense and he looked back.
"SIS, WATCH OUT!" he cried as he pushed Haru to the floor, only for his leg to get hit by the beam, which caused him to cry out in pain.
"Natsu!" Haru cried, only to yelp as Zero redirected the beam with his fingers, causing it to graze her left bicep. Blue Fang, infuriated at the sight of his friend being attacked, charged at Zero with fangs bare, but with a simple wave of the Dark Wizard's hand, the silver wolf was hit right through his left shoulder, causing him to yowl as he fell down, to Haru's horror. "Blue Fang, no!"
"Bastard!" Natsu yelled as he charged at Zero, only for the Dark Capriccio to come back and hit him right in the face, knocking him back.
"Hahahaha!" Zero laughed. "You said if you came to find if I'll break before you two will... well, I think you know the obvious answer there, Salamander and Beast! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Natsu growled, just as the beam was heading his way again... and this time, he reeled his fist back, his arm soon going ablaze.
"FIRE DRAGON IRON FIST!"
Thrusting his arm forward, he punched against the powerful dark beam, and even though it ended up pushing him back, eventually, the beam gave out and disappeared... leaving Natsu's knuckles dripping with blood. Haru gaped in awe while Zero glared at the pink-haired youth, standing up straight with his arms behind his back.
"You managed to stop such powerful Penetration Magic," he mused. "How interesting..."
"I'm gonna do a lot more than that when I-" Natsu started, only to suddenly get struck by what looked like a blast of magic energy, causing Haru and Blue Fang to gasp as they turned around... just as someone else came walking in: Jellal, whose lips were upturned in a malicious grin.
"...Natsu... Dragneel...!" he said with an almost crazed look in his eyes.
"...No...!" Haru whispered in horror. "Jellal... it can't be...!"
"So... you've regained your memories, have you?" asked Zero.
"...Yes... I have," Jellal answered... and meanwhile, Natsu stood there, gaping at the Celestial Body Wizard... before he began to bristle, his fangs clenched tightly.
"JELLAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!"
With that roar, the Salamander charged at Jellal, who simply raised his hand and blasted Natsu with a fireball... but instead of harming him, the flames simply dispersed due to the dragon-like properties of his body.
"Fire Magic won't work on me, you dumbass!" Natsu shouted.
"...I know that," Jellal replied... his eyes suddenly taking on a soft, warm... and yet sad glow. "That's what I remembered... about the hope named 'Natsu Dragneel'."
Haru's eyes widened in surprise while Natsu glared at Jellal, who gave a soft but remorseful sigh.
"Natsu... you are a Fire Dragon Slayer whose flames grow more intense with your emotions," he said. "That's what I remember about you."
"Wait a minute," Zero said. "I thought you said you had regained your memories!"
"I regained my memories of Natsu," Jellal corrected as he glowered at Zero. "Zero... we will stop Nirvana! That hasn't changed!"
"What do you mean, memories?" asked Natsu.
"...Jellal... do you have amnesia?" Haru inquired in concern. "Is that why you attacked us before after you woke up?"
"...Indeed," Jellal replied. "When I saw your brother charge at me... I only saw someone who was trying to attack me without reason, so I merely struck back in self-defense... I'm sorry, Haru... I didn't mean to get you caught in the blast." He then looked at Natsu. "Natsu... when I woke up... I had no memory of my past... but I heard that I was the lowest piece of scum that walked the face of this world. Also... from what I heard... I nearly killed one of your beloved comrades... Erza..." His eyes softened with remorse. "I may not remember much... but I do wish to help Wendy save her guild and stop Nirvana... so please, Natsu... let me lend you my power... if only to-"
"SHUT UP, YOU BASTARD!" Natsu yelled as he charged at Jellal, again. "DO YOU SERIOUSLY EXPECT ME TO BELIEVE THAT 'AMNESIA' BULLSHIT?!"
Just before Natsu could reach him, though... he was once again stopped by Haru, who stood before Jellal with her arms outstretched protectively, prompting the Fire Dragon Slayer to stop right in his tracks. Even more so... Blue Fang stood beside her, growling low in his throat as a warning. Natsu gaped in shock while Jellal blinked at Haru in surprise... but then, the former seethed, flames growing around his body, once more.
"Haru... get out of the way!" he demanded, but Haru shook her head and glared at her brother in defiance.
"No, I won't!" she shouted. "Natsu, this has to stop!"
"Why the hell are you defending that guy?!" Natsu questioned. "Don't tell me you seriously believe that crap that he spouted out of his mouth!"
"Natsu, I don't really know if he has lost his memory or not!" Haru argued. "But I know this much: he wants to help us!"
"Well, I don't want his help!" Natsu retorted. "Did you forget?! That guy almost had Erza KILLED!"
"DAMMIT, NATSU, I KNOW THAT!" Haru screamed.
"THEN WHY?!" Natsu questioned as he got in her face. "WHY ARE YOU DEFENDING HIM?!"
"Because, Natsu," Haru began, "I can see it! I can see the regret in his eyes!"
Natsu's eyes widened while Jellal gasped silently.
"Natsu... you think I'm not angry at him, either?" asked Haru, casting her eyes to the floor. "Despite knowing that it wasn't entirely his fault... I'm still mad at him for the things he did to Erza... not to mention what he did to Mister Simon, too..." She then fixed Natsu with a hard stare. "But Natsu... I can see that Jellal really does want to change... even if he doesn't remember what he did... because I can tell by looking at him that he's really being honest!"
Natsu lowered his arm as his sister continued to speak.
"And besides," Haru began, "is this really the time for this kind of thing? Right now, time is running out! Wendy's depending on us to save her guild, but if you're more worried about your stupid grudge against Jellal, then why should you bother?!"
Natsu just stood there, mouth gaping in silence while Jellal stared at Haru in awe... but then, he gasped as he saw something out of his peripheral eye.
"WATCH OUT!" he cried as he pulled the Dragneel Siblings behind him... only to cry out in pain as Zero's Dark Capriccio struck him in the chest, causing him to cough up blood as it pierced through him.
"Hmph..." Zero scoffed. "You three were getting annoying, so I thought I'd just kill you."
"JELLAL!" Haru cried as Jellal collapsed while Natsu and Blue Fang both gaped in shock at his action... the former suddenly being reminded of when a certain Darkness Wizard shielded him, Erza, and Haru from Jellal's Altairis spell.
"Ugggh..." Jellal groaned as Haru went over and gently held up his head while Blue Fang tried to lick his wound clean.
"Jellal, are you okay?" she asked, causing him to look at her with a weak smile.
"Haru Dragneel... I remember you, as well," he said.
"Jellal, try not to talk!" Haru urged as she gently held his hand. "You're seriously hurt!"
"Back in the Tower of Heaven..." Jellal rasped. "I remember... a girl's voice... telling me that Erza still cared for me... and for just a brief moment... that voice touched me... and I hesitated..." He grunted in pain as he clutched his wound. "That voice... it was yours, Haru..."
"Jellal..." Haru whispered.
"Natsu..." Jellal said with labored breath. "I... don't blame you at all for still holding a grudge against me... after all... I did something unforgivable... and forgetting about it... is even worse." He coughed harshly, blood dripping from his lips. "If you want to kill me... you can do it when this is all over..." He then held up in his palm... a golden flame, small yet burning bright.
"For now... I beg you... take this," he insisted. "It's the power you need to defeat Zero!"
Natsu's eyes went wide while Haru blinked in awe.
"It's beautiful," she said. "What is it?"
"The Flame of Rebuke," Jellal replied as the flame grew bigger. "Natsu... please... I'm not asking you to forgive me... I know that your magic runs on fire... and you need to have a steady supply of it in order to keep fighting... I just ask... that you trust me..." He looked at the Fire Dragon Slayer with a confident smile.
"You and your sister... you are the people whom Erza trusts," he said. "Therefore... I trust you!"
Haru looked up at Natsu, anxiously awaiting his answer... but then, the Salamander's brow furrowed before he took the Flame of Rebuke in his hand, then opened his mouth and chomped on it before he swallowed it in one gulp... then burped noisily.
"...Thanks for the meal," he said.
"...It's up to you... Natsu... Haru..." Jellal whispered... but just before he was about to pass out, he grunted as he felt a searing pain on his abdomen, causing him to look down and see that Natsu was holding his flaming hand over his stomach wound, burning it shut. "W... what are you...?!"
"You think I'm just gonna sit here and let you die after you did that?" Natsu asked. "Wouldn't make kickin' Zero's ass feel any sweeter if you did that."
"Natsu..." Haru smiled, gratefully while Jellal stared at the Fire Dragon Slayer, then chuckled as he lied against the floor.
"You really are an odd one..." he whispered while Natsu turned to face Zero, flames burning from all over his body. Soon after, Haru stood beside him, along with Blue Fang, who growled viciously.
"The Flame of Rebuke, eh?" asked Zero. "So what? Since you ate it, that means you feel some sort of remorse as Jellal did?"
"You're wrong, Zero," said Haru. "The truth is... us Fairy Tail Wizards are used to committing a crime or two."
"She's right," Natsu said as golden flames began to swirl around him, "but the real crime... is to ignore evil... and to not be trusted by anyone, anymore!" With that, he gathered the flame around his feet, using them as a boost to jump at Zero. "FIRE DRAGON SWORD HORN!"
Not expecting the full-frontal attack, Zero was struck right in his solar plexus and was sent crashing right into a wall!
"Ready, Blue Fang?" Haru asked as she placed her hand over Blue Fang's chest, then pressing her forehead against his as her signature magic circle appeared under her feet and she uttered the incantation.
"Let our hearts, minds, and bodies become one! Beast Spirit: Soul Link!"
With that, Haru's ponytail pointed up as it bristled, her teeth and nails elongating into fangs and claws, and her eyes glowing red as she felt the surge of magic power, and Blue Fang soon did the same, snarling as he began to feel his spirit sync up with Haru's.
As for Zero, he growled as he stood up, waving the smoke and dust out of his way as he glared at the Dragneel Siblings... particularly at Natsu, who glared right back at him.
"Don't get cocky, you damn brats!" Zero shouted. "DARK CAPRICCIO!"
He soon fired yet another dark energy beam at Natsu... who effortlessly swatted it away like it was nothing more than a stick, to Zero's disbelief. At that moment, he saw something that made his mouth fall open and his eyes go wide in shock: Natsu's skin was covered in scales.
"No... it can't be...!" he whispered. "He's using Dragon Force?!"
"This power..." Natsu said as he looked at his hands. "It's just like when I ate the Ethernano... it's like my power increased two... no, threefold, at least!"
A pause... but then Zero smirked and chuckled darkly.
"How fascinating," he said. "The hidden power of a Dragon Slayer... the power that is able to destroy a dragon... and I get to bear witness to it."
"Sorry if you're expecting a show," Natsu began, "but my sis and I are gonna beat you!"
"Then come!" Zero shouted. "Show me the power of a dragon and a beast!"
"THEN HERE WE COME!" Natsu roared as he and Haru charged at Zero.
"Natsu!" Haru called. "We've only got 5 minutes to finish Zero off and destroy that Lacrima!"
"Don't worry! I know!" Natsu shouted as he swung a left hook at Zero, who blocked his attack while Haru ran in from the right and tried to kick him, only for him to block that, as well before he pushed both siblings away. Blue Fang jumped at Zero from behind, but the man turned and punched the wolf in the snout, knocking him back. Nonetheless, the trio didn't relent. As they rushed in for another attack, Zero smirked before he raised his hands over his head.
"Dark... GRAVITY!" he shouted before he thrust his hands down, and suddenly, the floor gave out, causing Natsu, Haru, and Blue Fang to fall through the giant hole and into the floor below them. As they were able to quickly get back on their feet, they all glared as they saw Zero jump off from a wall and attempt to hit them with two Dark Capriccio beams from both of his hands.
"FIRE DRAGON ROOOOOOOAAAAAR!" Natsu roared as he unleashed a blast of fire from his mouth.
"BEAST SIREN HOOOOOOOOOWWWL!" Haru cried as she and Blue Fang both let out a reverberating sound wave from their mouths, and at first, it looked like both attacks had connected, to their shock, Zero burst through the smoke without so much as a scratch on him!
"How-" Haru started, only for Zero to grab her by her head, then he grabbed Natsu by his head, and slammed them both together, then threw them both at Blue Fang, who attempted to charge at him, only for the Dragneel Siblings to knock the silver wolf down. As they attempted to stand, Zero soon unleashed a relentless flurry of attacks, shooting at them with dark spheres until there was a huge explosion. At first, everything was quiet... but as the smoke began to dissolve, Natsu, Haru, and Blue Fang emerged, panting heavily with blood smearing their faces.
"Well, well," said Zero. "Perhaps you can't use Dragon Force as well as you thought, eh, Salamander?!"
Natsu panted, his body wavering slightly... but then he growled as he wiped his lip. As he and Haru charged, once more, only for Zero send them both flying with another volley of Dark Magic attacks. While Natsu lay prone on the floor, Haru and Blue Fang were both buried underneath the rubble.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" laughed Zero as he walked over to Natsu and began to stomp and kick on his battered body. "Is this really the best you can do?! Is this really the so-called power of a dragon?! You disappointed me, Salamander!"
"GET OFF OF HIM!"
Zero looked up... only to cry out in pain as Haru suddenly lunged at him and slashed her claws across his face. Then, she kneed him in the stomach, causing him to keel over before she slugged him in the jaw. Zero growled before he grabbed Haru by her face, then slammed her against the floor.
"You little pest!" he growled as he kept Haru pinned down. "When are you going to realize it's hopeless?!"
"I'll never give up," said Haru. "As long as there's still hope... I'll never, ever give up! Someone I know told me that!"
"You're willing to risk your lives, and for what?" Zero asked. "A cowardly little girl and her pet cat and a guild that's not even your own?!"
"You don't get it, man..."
"Huh?" Zero muttered as he glanced over at Natsu, who grunted as he pulled himself on his feet.
"I made a promise to Wendy," he said. "I promised her that I'd save her guild from a creep like you! Wendy may not be part of our guild... but she's still our friend, and we're gonna fight for her, no matter what!"
As he said this, the flames around him grew stronger... hotter... brighter! It was as if Natsu himself was like the sun!
"That's why... we're gonna stop you, here and now!" he declared.
"Oh, do you, now?" asked Zero as he stood up, letting Haru go in the process. "In that case... I'll show you what despair really looks like!" With that, he gathered all the magic power he had in his hands... a black light beginning to shine ominously, causing Haru to gasp in horror.
"NATSU, WATCH OUT!" she shouted.
"History will vanish before my eyes!" Zero declared. "We will soon enter a new Void Era!" His eyes went wide as he shouted this spell. "GENESIS... ZERO!"
Soon, what looked like wailing faces appeared from his hands and blasted out toward Natsu and Haru, who cried out as they tried to shield themselves... and yet, they found themselves surrounded by ghostly wails and unearthly screeches. Haru screamed as she covered her ears, nearly falling to her knees while Natsu shielded his face with his arms as the ghouls wailed and screamed around them.
"Hahahahahahaha!" Zero laughed. "Fall into nothingness as these fallen spirits eat away at your very soul! In the name of Zero... BEGONE!"
Just as it seemed that the Dragneel Siblings had both fallen into the dark void... there was a flash of golden light, and suddenly, the ghouls began to burn away, revealing Natsu standing tall and proud as he glared at his foe while Haru stood behind him, to Zero's shock.
"Impossible...!" he whispered in horror. "That mere boy... burned through my magic?!"
Natsu soon took in a deep breath before he let out a bellowing roar... and that's when Zero saw something that couldn't be believed: standing over Natsu... was the image of a huge dragon with red scales and mighty wings, roaring as it towered over him.
No... it was more like Natsu had become the dragon, itself.
"HERE WE COOOOOOOOOME!" Haru shouted as she and Natsu charged at Zero, who was unable to see them coming. In a merciless onslaught, the siblings just went all out, pummeling Zero with punches and kicks so fast that they were almost unseen. As Natsu slugged Zero across the face, Haru kicked him right in the stomach before she grabbed him by his ankle and threw him across the room, and it was then that someone else joined the fray: Blue Fang, who had managed to pull himself out of the rubble just in time to join the battle. The silver wolf slammed his head against the madman, sending him flying across the floor as positioned herself. She bunched up her arm muscles before she raised both legs, then sent Zero flying up to the ceiling with a powerful kick!
"NATSU! DO IT, NOOOOOOOOOOW!" she yelled.
"DRAGON SLAYER SECRET ART!" Natsu shouted as the flames began to swirl around him. "FLAME LOTUS: PHOENIX SWORD!"
Using the flames to propel him, Natsu flew toward Zero... the fire taking the form of a great bird as he slammed his skull into his torso and went crashing right through the ceiling... heading right toward the Lacrima orb!
XXX
"Ice-Make... LANCE!" Gray shouted as he fired several spears of ice at his Lacrima.
XXX
"SMASH IT, TAURUS!" Lucy and Gemini-Lucy shouted as Taurus swung his ax.
XXX
"Strength Perfume!" exclaimed Ichiya... who had grown more muscular than before as he swung his arm at his target.
XXX
Erza was in her Black Wing Armor as she held her sword to her side... then lunged!
XXX
Wendy, standing before the last Lacrima, sucked in a big breath while Carla stood behind her, watching in anticipation.
"Sky Dragon... ROOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAR!"
Opening her mouth, the Sky Dragon Slayer unleashed a powerful tornado, which pierced through the Lacrima!
XXX
"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRGH!" Natsu roared as he smashed Zero right into the Lacrima... which shattered upon the impact. With this, all six Lacrima had been destroyed. Outside... Nirvana's legs came apart as they began to crumble to the ground.
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