A/N: Happy Easter, everybody! I know I said you'd have to wait until May for the next chapter, but since I'm trying to release holiday chapters, you all get one a little early! Mind you, this does mean that you'll be waiting until Memorial Day weekend for the next installation, but hey, let's not worry about that for now.
For those of you that would like to see an image of Azura, go check out my Instagram account, the_red_swordsman to see her, and a few other images that I've come up with, including Lucino, early drawings of Gorun (and a brand-new one that shows his outfit post-Dragon King Festival), along with some upcoming teaser images for what is to come (par examplar, there will soon be a picture of Erza in a new set of armor that my wife and I designed).
If you missed it last time, I am now putting profiles for my original characters- and characters in Fairy Tail that have been affected by Gorun's influence- after the preview for the next chapter. Last time it was for Gorun, this time it will be full of interesting and fun facts for Kinana. Also, don't forget to cast your vote for which fusion should make their debut in the Tartaros arc, because you only have until July to do so!
Lastly, I encourage you all to check out my response to your reviews from the previous chapter, which will be up on my YouTube channel the afternoon of April 23, 2019. My wife and I also recently posted a video titled, Gruvia: Why It DOESN'T Work, something that we've both been wanting to do for a while now. Let us know what you think of these videos, and feel free to suggest other topics that you would be interested for us to discuss.
Now, at long last, let's see how the battle between Azura and Gorun/Kaidon is faring!
OP Song: In My World (cover by Nathan Sharp)
Rival Arc: Chapter 3
Super Saiyan Showdown
Conton City, many years ago…
"Ow!" a little girl yelped as she was thrown to the hard ground for what seemed like the hundredth time that day.
"No complaining," a stern voice lectured her from about a dozen yards away. "If you get hurt that easily, you can forget about becoming a Super Saiyan like Kaidon."
The speaker was a short man with ridiculously tall, spiky hair, dressed in advanced grey-and-white combat armor from Capsule Corporation. His eyebrows were drawn together in a scowl, but that wasn't anything special- Prince Vegeta was always frowning.
"But Grandpa-"
"No!" the stern man said sharply. "No, I am not your 'grandpa' Vegeta right now, young lady. I am your combat instructor, nothing more and certainly nothing less! You won't be currying any favor with me that way."
The little girl with blue hair sniffled but dashed at her eyes and firmed up her chin as she turned around to face her sparring partner again. They were a young boy, only a year older than her, with black hair and soft grey eyes. He looked uncomfortable being there, but since he wasn't the one constantly on the losing end of these practice matches, she felt it was safe to say that her own discomfort was far more marked than his.
"Again," Vegeta ordered in a tone that brooked no argument.
"Seriously?" the boy sighed. "We've been at this all day. She hasn't beat me once yet, and at this rate, she's not going to. Can't we just-"
"Training ends when I say it does!" the Prince of all Saiyans shouted at him, causing him to flinch. "Now I don't want to hear another word out of you two unless it's a Gallick Gun or one of Kakarot's stupid attacks!"
"Yes sir," the boy sighed as he assumed a combat stance unique to the saiyans. Looking back at his opponent, he added, "Ready when you are, Azura."
Magnolia, Present Day…
"Tyrant Lance!"
"Kikoho!"
Gorun's beam attack collided with Azura's crushing energy wave and neutralized it, sending shockwaves throughout the air above Magnolia. The long-haired young man glowered at his opponent, who smirked condescendingly at him.
"You've gotten stronger since the last time we did this," he said begrudgingly.
"Now what kind of Saiyan would I be if I didn't seek to grow ever stronger in battle?" she replied.
"Hopefully one that could learn to let things lie, but I guess that won't be happening, will it?!" he shouted, unleashing a Kamehameha from almost point-blank range. "Did you forget that you were never able to beat me?!"
In response, the blue-haired girl conjured a barrier that blocked the technique, then lashed out with an energy sword sprouted from her hand. "Things change, people most of all," she spat at him. "Take you, for example. I always knew you were lazy, but I never took you for a coward!"
"Says the one threatening to kill all my friends," Gorun seethed. "What kind of Saiyan tries to get a fight going through others, huh?!"
"We're only part Saiyan," Azura smiled coldly. "Guess that's just whatever part of me that's human coming out."
"There's nothing human about what you've just done," her opponent snarled, his aura flaring brighter. "And if you think you've become strong, then let me show you just how far you still have to go!" A golden magic circle appeared beneath his feet, crackling with lightning.
"Ah, so you did manage to get that far on your own," Azura nodded as the circle enveloped him in light and sent his power level even higher. "I'm surprised you could in a world that's so… lacking in adequate fighters."
"You underestimate them, it'll be your last mistake," Gorun replied as he completed the Super Saiyan 2 ascension. "Actually, no, that was underestimating me."
"Ha!" Azura snorted. "You really thought I would have come here if I wasn't confident that I could drag you back to the Time Patrol and have you answer for your crimes against it?"
"I am answering for my crime," the boy snapped, lightning dancing across his brow as it bent downward. "The Supreme Kai of Time herself sentenced me to exile, here on Earthland. You're not here to drag me back because doing so would be in direct conflict with her orders."
"You're a danger to the timeline of this reality!" Azura screamed at him, her own power level rising rapidly. "The longer you stay, the more the scrolls that record its history will be warped! As a Time Patroller, I cannot allow it!"
"It's not your decision to make!" Gorun shouted back.
"There is no decision to be made, by you or me!" she shrieked. "I will protect time, no matter what it takes!" A magic circle matching the one that Gorun had recently conjured appeared beneath her feet, causing his eyes to widen.
"You too?" he asked, even as he took a ready stance against her.
"Goku surpassed Vegeta, so why shouldn't I be able to surpass you?" she growled at him as her own body ascended to the second form. Her hair flew about more wildly than before and the lightning coming off of her body seemed especially thick around it. "Now let's see what you've really got… Kaidon."
"I still hate that name!" he spat as he prepared to charge forward once again.
Down below, in the remnants of the guild's mess hall, Fairy Tail had its hands full. Wendy was busy trying to keep Erza alive from the stab wound that had been dealt to her stomach, but she could tell that the S-class mage was fading fast. Unfortunately, though, everyone else had their own issues to worry about.
The group of assassins that had come with Azura to attack Fairy Tail, now calling themselves the 'Carbuncle' guild, had resumed their own assault after Gorun took his battle with the other Super Saiyan to the sky.
Cannon was keeping the already-battered wizards away from them with multiple firearms, letting loose with ammunition strong enough to even break through Gray's ice shields. Chase was engaged in battle with Elfman, though it was going quite poorly for the takeover wizard, who had already sustained multiple cuts from the shadowy wizard's blades. Coordinator turned out to be a requip wizard with a repertoire that could rival Erza's, a fact she used to her advantage as she held off Mirajane's she-devil form.
Only their leader had yet to take any direct action. He seemed content to simply watch the battle unfold before him, but those that did manage to catch glimpses of him in between the action would have done well to guess that he seemed to be… searching for something?
"Ah…" he said at last, waving his right hand in an upward motion. "There you are." Without warning, every Fairy Tail wizard in his line of sight began floating toward what was left of the ceiling, except for Éclair. "Chase," Dyst muttered in a bored tone.
The shadow wizard grunted and dodged a final swipe from Elfman's claws as he ran at the girl, striking her swiftly on the head to knock her out. In a fluid movement, he scooped her up over his shoulder and began retreating toward his leader.
"No, you can't take her!" Lucy screamed.
"Let her go!" Natsu roared. "Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" Cocooned in flames, he powered through the telekinesis holding him in place against a support beam, making a straight shot for Chase.
He was only inches away from being able to grab the assassin's cloak when the telekinetic force changed abruptly to force him into the ground. Wood cracked as his body broke through the floor, causing many of his comrades to wince at the sight and sound.
"Stay down, peasant," Dyst said disdainfully.
"Rrgh…" Natsu snarled as he forced himself to his feet, causing the members of Carbuncle- save for their leader- to take a step back in surprise. "You're tryin' to take one of us…" he said angrily. "I won't let you!"
"Your compliance isn't a factor, Salamander," Dyst drawled, jerking his hand in a downward motion, causing Natsu's entire body to bury itself in rubble rather violently. Another twitch of his wrist sent Natsu slamming into the rafters. He repeated this motion several times, until the light of consciousness had left the fire wizard's eyes. Dyst then repeated the motion a few more times, just to be safe, before he let Natsu and everyone else go, watching with detached interest as they fell among the rubble that had once been their home.
"Let's go," he ordered as they turned to leave. "There's no fight left in them."
"What about that blue-haired-"
"I have a plan in mind for her, I assure you," the leader of the group said sharply, interrupting Coordinator. "She will not get away with what she has done to us."
"Neither will you!" a young voice grunted from near the retreating figures. Before any of them could pinpoint which wizard had addressed them, the same person shouted, "Scorching Masenko!" A beam of orange fire struck Dyst in the side, and a small explosion scattered the assassins, causing Chase to lose his grip on Éclair as he stumbled.
Romeo stood atop one of the larger piles of rubble, his hands smoking with the remnants of the magic he had cast, panting heavily from the beating he had just taken in combination with the amount of energy he had exerted. "Take that… you stupid…" He let out a sigh and fainted, the ordeal becoming too much for his young body to handle.
"Romeo!" his father shouted as he rushed over to be at his side.
"You little piss head!" Cannon snarled. Being the first one to get up, he turned and aimed three separate cannons at the boy and his father, who paled rapidly as he realized that he was staring his death in the face. "Rest in itty bitty pieces!"
"Libra! Stop him!" Yukino cried desperately as she held out the appropriate key.
"As you wish," the zodiac spirit replied as she swept her arms out to the sides and held them there, almost in a dancer's pose. Cannon's guns immediately flew in separate directions, their gravity altered to now be repelled away from him.
"Hey, hey now!" the beefy man protested. "Nobody's gonna play with my guns but me!" He turned and pointed his main firearm, the one in his hands, right at Yukino. "Nighty-night, little girl," he sneered.
"You like guns?!" a new voice interjected, causing him to hesitate and turn to see who was addressing him. He had a split second to realize that it was the purple-haired girl that had run away earlier before she added, "Try this one; Gallick Gun, FIRE!" A purple laser punched straight through his beloved cannon when he instinctively raised his hands to block the attack.
"No!" he shouted as he recoiled, nursing the remnants of his favored weapon, ignoring the serious abrasions in his flesh as he did. "Not my baby!"
"Believe us, that's going to be the least of your problems in a moment." The other members of Carbuncle were now mostly recovered, and were very surprised to see Erza walking into the middle of the whole mess, looking as though she had never been stabbed at all. Also plain to see was the seething anger in her eyes. "You wounded our guild, tried to take our comrade from us. There will be severe repercussions."
"How is she standing?" Coordinator grunted as Wendy came to stand beside her and Kinana. "Crazy-eyes up there stabbed you through at least your intestines. You should have bled out!"
"Sorry to disappoint you, but we're a lot harder to put down than that," Erza replied with a cold smile, though she silently thanked Gorun for saving his senzu beans as he had over the last year. "Now, are you ready to meet your maker?"
Dyst glared at her, eyes burning with cold anger. "Chase," he muttered. "We're leaving. Let the girl handle them." The shadow wizard nodded, then snatched up Éclair again with a grunt and began making his way over to the others.
"Dodon Ray!" Kinana shouted, sending a laser flying from her pointer and middle fingers in an attempt to at least slow him down. The man dissolved into shadow, avoiding the attack, and taking Éclair into the darkness with him. "He's getting away!" the girl shouted desperately to Erza, who conjured a dozen swords and sent them soaring at the Carbuncle wizards.
Coordinator sneered at the other requip wizard, even as she stretched out her hand. In a burst of sparks, Erza's swords and armor disappeared, shocking everyone present, Titania most of all. "She can undo my requips?!" she shouted, dumbfounded.
"Don't come looking for us," Dyst told them. "You'll only meet the same fate as the girl."
"No, you can't take Éclair!" Momon shouted, trying in vain to reach out to his friend. The leader of the assassins flicked his wrist at the yellow bird, sending him flying into a support beam, knocking him out instantly. Then Chase reached them and enveloped the group in his shadow, taking them to who-knew-where.
"Éclair!" Lucy screamed.
Gorun's sensitive ears picked up on the scream, even from as high up as he was, and he could guess at the reason behind it. "I don't have time for you," he snarled at his opponent, raising his hands above his head. "Masenko!"
"Tyrant Lance!" she countered, her attack negating his instantly. But that was the instant he needed to get away, zooming back toward his guild at mach speed.
Hold on guys, I'm on my way! He promised, now level with some of the wispy clouds dotting the sky over the city.
"You're not going anywhere!" Azura shouted just before she slammed into him from above, her knees striking in the small of his back where his kidneys were located.
He gasped and coughed up blood as a searing pain spread to every corner of his body, making it difficult to even remain conscious, let alone in Super Saiyan 2. Yet somehow he found the will to hang on and maintain his current power. Placing his fingers on his head, he engaged instant transmission and reversed the situation, made it so that he was the one striking down from above, his foot connecting solidly with her head, sending her downward at an increased velocity. As she was sent further down, he could see the guild in ruins below them, and he resolved to end the fight quickly.
"You will not be getting another chance at that trick again," Azura spat up at him, furious with herself that she had forgotten that Gorun could teleport. It wasn't a skill she had honed, and now she was beginning to regret it a bit. Still, he hadn't used it to regroup with his comrades, so that was something.
Not that they would have been able to stop her, anyway.
"I don't need to," the male Saiyan-human hybrid replied pithily. "I'm ending this- you- if you don't get out of the way and let me rescue Éclair."
"Can't do that," Azura shrugged. "This is the way things would have played out, you being unable to interfere and all. You're not damaging this timeline any more than you already have, Kaidon."
"Watch me!" Gorun bellowed, his hatred and power only growing as he realized that he was already too late. He couldn't sense Éclair's strange energy anywhere, which either meant that she was dead, or gone far enough away to be beyond his senses. Either way, the guild had failed to protect her. He had failed to protect her. "Last chance to leave, or you're done for!"
"I'd be saying your goodbyes while your friends are still in earshot," Azura replied mockingly from a few feet away as she floated up to be level with her enemy. "Because this next minute is the last one you'll ever spend in this world."
"You always did know how to push my buttons," Gorun replied as he braced himself. "And here I was, telling them that I would never use this power if I could avoid it." An even bigger gold magic circle, this one practically erupting with lightning, appeared underneath his feet as he let out a resounding shout and the earth beneath them began to shake.
Azura raised an eyebrow as she felt his power level multiply yet again, nodding to herself, almost as if in satisfaction. "Super Saiyan 3," she murmured. "So it is true… I suppose the Saiyan blood in your body hasn't been completely wasted." The transformation was not one seen often, even among the ranks of the Time Patrol. Other than Goku, Lettis, Gotenks, and Bardock, there were only seven saiyans and saiyan-hybrids that had ever accomplished the form.
"Not even… you can do this," Gorun panted as he finished the transformation, his eyebrows gone and his hair reaching down past his waistline. "You're finished, Azura." He was in pain, and already tiring, but it wasn't as bad as before, when he fought Zirconis. I can maintain this for maybe three minutes if I can avoid wasting too much energy, he thought as he resumed his combat stance.
"You're right, I can't do that," Azura nodded as she dropped her own combat pose, her hair and eyes returning to their normal azure shades. By all appearances, she was about to surrender, but Gorun held his transformation and stance steady. He, of all people, knew that Azura did not give up that easily.
What is she up to…?
As if she could hear him, she smiled coldly and said, "I don't have to rely on that tiring form. Honestly, it's almost worse than that lumberjack transformation that Trunks used against Cell. I've got something far superior to utilize in situations like this."
"You can't go Super Saiyan 4 without a tail and a full moon, or overexposure to synthetic blutz waves, none of which you possess," Gorun smirked, still confident that he had the upper hand, whatever she was planning. "So tell me exactly how you plan to beat me without access to higher powers?"
"I don't need higher powers anymore, Kaidon," Azura smirked back. "Because one of them in particular already helped me prepare to defeat you, once and for all. The Elder Kai is very much looking forward to seeing you receive your punishment for stealing his rings and destroying his property."
"Elder Kai?" Gorun repeated, confused. "What does he-?" Suddenly, he jerked in place, his eyes widening. "He wouldn't."
"He did," Azura laughed, her delight all too evident as a grey-crystalline magic circle appeared beneath her feet. A burst of wind drew her hair upward for a moment, and then the magic circle was gone.
To the untrained eye, Gorun's transformation looked far more impressive, ablaze with energy and radiating raw, untamed power as he was. However, a more keen observer would note that while Azura's outward appearance had not changed, her power level was now in a league that surpassed even Gorun's. Just as he had with Gohan so many years ago, the Elder Kai had unlocked Azura's hidden potential, and now there was no telling just how powerful she could become.
"Now… let's see, once and for all, just who the most powerful descendant of Kakarot and Vegeta is!" she declared, bringing her hands to her side. "Kame…" Blue light flared between her fingers, reflecting on the wild grin that she wore.
Knowing he had no choice but to play out the trap that he had walked himself into, Gorun mimicked her actions, growling out, "Hame…" A blue ball of luminance that matched Azura's came to life between his own hands, growing by the second.
"HA!"
Down below, Magnolia was in chaos. Not only were the shockwaves from the twin Super Saiyan 2's bad enough to shatter windows and destroy a lot of household items, the now-Super Saiyan 3 squaring off against the full-powered Azura was causing even more damage to the city buildings, especially since Gorun had unwittingly brought them closer to the area.
"This is madness!" Carla shouted to be heard above the noise. "One Super Saiyan was destructive enough, now there's two of 'em?!"
"We gotta break their stalemate!" Kinana shouted back. "Gorun won't last much longer against her!"
"I thought he said he could beat her!" Gray called out.
"I know he did, but whatever she's doing now, it's made her stronger than him- by a lot!" the barmaid replied. "I can read power levels better than anyone here except Gorun, trust me! He needs help!"
"Then… we'll give it to him…" The others were surprised to see a bloodied Natsu getting to his feet with a shaky grin on his face. "Gorun's a Fairy Tail wizard… And none of us should ever have… to fight alone."
"Then let's quit gawkin' and show that new chick why you don't mess with our guild," a familiar voice said.
Gorun knew that it was only a matter of seconds. He was tiring too quickly in his current form, and Azura's power showed no signs of waning. If anything, the more tired he seemed to be, the stronger she was getting. Her etherion waves were only a few feet away from his hands now, and as soon as they broke through his own attack, he knew he was finished.
Kinana… I'm so sorry, he thought, closing his eyes, his aching arms beginning to droop. I let you down…
"Say goodbye to this world, Kaidon!" Azura shouted with a delighted gleam in her eyes. "You'll never see it again!"
"His name is Gorun!" A new voice caused both of them to give a start of surprise, even as a flash of green and purple appeared beside Gorun to glare at Azura. "And he's staying right where he belongs!"
"Who are-?" Azura began, but the words died in her throat as three more people flew up to be beside their comrades, each one carried by a flying cat. All three were emitting respectable power levels- nowhere near Gorun and Azura individually, but together…
"You cost us one friend, and we ain't losin' another!" Natsu roared through his bloodied lips, his hands resting by his right side.
"Gorun saved my life, and I don't want him to leave!" Wendy cried, wind whipping around her hands as she raised them skyward. Her Dragon Force was in effect, her pink hair flying about wildly in the air currents generated by her magic.
"I dunno what's goin' on here, but I got from the others that you helped wreck our guild hall," Gajeel said with a nasty grin as he raised his right hand above his head. "Lemme tell you from experience, kid- you're gonna end up hurting from that a lot more than we are." He had just returned from a mission out of town, and was still itching for some action, it seemed. Like Wendy, he too had engaged his Dragon Force for the showdown with Azura.
"I suggest you leave before I blast you all away along with Kaidon," Azura sneered at them. "With power levels like that, it's a wonder you don't-"
"Magic power isn't everything!" Kinana shouted, several red magic circles spawning overhead. "Five-layer magic circle: Kaioken!" Her energies spiked according to the enhancement, and she readied her most powerful attack to fight alongside her boyfriend.
"No…" he grunted. "Get away, all of you! You can't… fight her!"
"Not alone, no," Kinana replied as she locked eyes with him. "But together, with you… We're Fairy Tail, Gorun! Show her what that means!"
"It means it's lights out for you, kids!" Azura shouted at them, unleashing a new onslaught of etherion at them.
"Gallick Gun!" Kinana cried, retaliating with her own magic power. Her beam flew alongside Gorun's, then merged with the attack, slowing Azura's Kamehameha down marginally.
"It's… not enough!" Gorun shouted, shaking his head. "Please…! I can't see you all get hurt by her, too!"
"And we can't leave our guild mate alone for this fight!" Natsu laughed. "C'mon, man! After every time you've been there for us, we're not lettin' you go down like this! Besides, you still gotta show me how to do all your crazy magic attacks!" The flames growing between his fingers swelled to the size of a melon before he thrust his hands forward, shouting, "Fire Dragon Kamehameha!" Just like Kinana's, his attack ran parallel to his comrade's, then merged with it, countering their enemy's energy.
Only now, instead of just slowing the attack, Azura's Kamehameha was being held in a deadlock, much to the blue-haired girl's astonishment. "No, this isn't possible!" she shouted at them.
"Sky Dragon… Double Sunday!" Wendy shouted, sending twin cyclones into the mix, and forcing the other Saiyan's energy back at a steady pace when she did.
"You guys…" Gorun said, eyes wide with wonder. "How…?"
"I think with all your focus in battle centering on becoming the next level of Super Saiyan, you forgot one really important fact," Kinana told him with a slightly pained smile. "You're part human, too. And who says we can't become as strong as the Saiyans, given time?"
"Yeah…" the blond boy said with a tired grin. "You know… You're right, Kinana. Thank you."
"All right, enough with the mushy crap!" Gajeel shouted, a metal circle now floating above his head. "Time for the finale to this fight! Iron Dragon Destructo-Disc!" Unlike the other attacks from the dragon slayers, however, his did not run parallel to the colliding energy beams. His flew up, around, and back down toward Azura, whose eyes widened.
Abandoning her attack, she flung her arms outward, an explosion of blue ki knocking the iron Kienzan off-course, away from her neck. The technique was even powerful enough to knock the combined Kamehameha skyward, saving both herself and the people down below in Magnolia, though the latter was more of an afterthought than a desired effect. However, in her haste to avoid getting beheaded, she seemed to forget, even if only for a second, that there was a very angry group consisting of a Super Saiyan 3, his even angrier girlfriend, and three dragons slayers paired with their exceeds still out to get her.
They had her surrounded in a flash, each of them striking with their own respective elements in such rapid succession that she did not have a moment to formulate a counterattack strategy. Though no matter how fast and fierce they struck, Azura's unleashed potential was just enough to keep them all at bay, and Gorun knew that his time was nearly up for his current form. They needed something to break the stalemate, and quickly, or else-
Tzak! There was a flash of light, and just like that, Azura disappeared.
Gorun had to force himself to stop mid-strike in order to avoid hitting Gajeel, and Natsu barely managed to avoid blasting Wendy. "Uh… what?" the Saiyan boy asked, looking around wildly for their quarry. He could still sense her power signature close by, but at the same time it seemed barely present.
"Down here!" a tired voice called up. The group looked down to see Cana waving up at them, beckoning them to come closer.
Gorun, sensing that the fight was over for the moment, let out a sigh of relief as he released the power running through him. He sagged and nearly began to fall back toward the guild hall, but Kinana caught him up, looking only a little less tired than he did. Apparently using the Kaioken five times over was still a difficult task for her, though he didn't blame her. Any fight against Azura would be exhausting, he knew, and he had the benefit of being able to stand on equal ground with her- or at least, he used to.
"Everyone okay?" Cana asked as they descended into the remnants of the guild hall. Natsu nearly collapsed as soon as his feet touched the ground, but Wendy and Happy helped him stand.
"We're bruised, but we'll live," Kinana answered as Gorun sat on some rubble, every muscle and bone in his body aching badly. "What happened to that girl?"
"Sorry about that," Cana grinned ruefully as she held up one of her tarot cards, the back facing them. "I was hit by some of the rocks, and I didn't come to until a minute ago. Took me that long to cast a seal on her since her magical strength was even higher than Gorun's. If you hadn't managed to hold her in one place, it woulda taken me a lot longer, too." She flipped the item around to reveal Azura, red-faced, and very much trapped within the card.
"Whoa," Gajeel said, his eyes widening in a rare mixture of surprise and respect. "You can do that?"
"Yep, and no matter how strong the target is, they can't get out until either I let 'em out, or I get killed," Cana smirked. "Drawback is that it takes longer to cast on people that are stronger than me, but once it's done, it's done."
"Very impressive," Gorun panted heavily. "What do I owe you for the assist?"
"Just some answers," the brunette shrugged. "I wanna know what the deal is with this girl. I thought you told us that no one else was coming to this world from yours."
"You got me," the Saiyan boy replied wearily. "The Supreme Kai of Time has never gone back on her word before, which leads me to believe that Azura here wasn't acting on orders." He glared at the card holding the girl, who glared right back at him. "Well?" he demanded after a tense moment of silence between them.
"I'm going to get out of here, and when I do, your ass is going right back to Conton!" she shouted at him.
"Sheesh, this chick's stubborn," Gajeel scowled at the miniaturized Saiyan. "What's her deal? She seemed to really have it out for you, kid." He looked over at Gorun as he spoke, who shifted uncomfortably.
"It's a long and complicated story," he replied. "Basically, she was always trying to compete against me to win the approval of our common ancestor, Vegeta. I never had much interest in the rivalry she tried to generate between us, and it didn't help her that she was never able to beat me in combat."
"I would have beaten you if these wizards hadn't gotten in the way!" Azura fumed.
"Another contributing factor is the fact that we have nearly identical ancestries," Gorun continued, acting as though he hadn't heard. "Both of us are descended from Goku and Vegeta, but whereas the Trunks in my family tree went on to help found the Time Patrol, her ancestor was the one that fought the fallen kai, Zamasu, and went on to marry Mai, instead of finding his way to the Time Nest."
"I don't follow," Cana frowned. "Aren't they still the same guy?"
"Originally, yes, but because of the fractured timelines, they took different journeys," Gorun answered. "Their names and origins may be the same, and their appearances almost identical, but the Trunks that runs the Time Patrol leads a very different life to the one that went on to have a family with Mai."
"Why does the pedigree matter, though?" Cana asked, still feeling like she was missing something. "Who cares if you both have the same great-grandpas?"
"She does," Gorun replied, pointing accusingly at Azura. "See, we were the only two people being raised to join the Time Patrol with not only such distinguished ancestors, but with family trees nearly identical to one another. Genora here didn't like sharing the spotlight, I guess."
"Genora?" Kinana repeated. "I thought you said her name was Azura? She is the girl you told us about before, right?"
"Saiyan hybrids are given two names at birth," the trapped girl answered, drawing everyone's attention back to her. "One is bestowed upon us by our parents, and our other, by the ruler of our kind. Azura is my human title, and Genora, the name given to me by Prince Vegeta."
"So… when she called you Kaidon…" Kinana said slowly.
Gorun flinched and muttered quietly, "Please don't call me that."
"That's your name, idiot," Azura smirked from within her prison. "Whether you like it or not."
"No, my name is Son Gorun!" the boy snarled, attempting to rise, then sitting back down when his joints and muscles shrieked in protest. Grunting, he added, "I am not… a Saiyan barbarian… I'm Gorun of Fairy Tail."
"You've simply been living in a fairy tale," Azura sniffed. "But no matter which way you try to slice it, you've got the same blood in your veins as me. The power of a Super Saiyan runs through you, and you seem to have no problem showing it off. But the minute someone brings up bloodlines, you get all huffy! I thi- ow!" The yelp was drawn out of her when Cana shook the card suddenly, apparently causing her to smack her head on whatever her prison was made out of.
"No one asked you, pint-size," she told the shrunken girl. Looking back at Gorun, she asked, "So what, she just wanted a fight to see who's the best?"
"She said she was going to drag me back to the Time Patrol," the Saiyan boy grumbled. "Which doesn't make any kind of sense. The Supreme Kai of Time banished me to this world. I can't go back, even if I wanted to, on pain of death." He glared at the card containing Azura for emphasis.
"Decrees can change," the girl shot back. "And I got the Elder Kai backing me. Your return is on his authority."
"Yeah, no…" a lilting, girlish voice said, startling everyone present, as it did not belong to anyone in the guild. It did, however, cause Gorun to nearly have a heart attack.
"I thought things between us were settled!" he cried as a small figure appeared in their midst.
"They are," Chronoa, the Supreme Kai of Time said as she grinned up at him. "You're not in trouble with me this time, Gorun."
"Oh thank Zeno," he said with a huge sigh of relief.
"Gorun, is this…?" Kinana asked, her eyes wide as she looked upon the short, pink-skinned kai.
"Hiya!" Chronoa said with a charming smile as she faced Kinana. "I'm Gorun's grandma, and I assume you're the nice young lady he's become really fond of? Nice to meet ya!" She held out a hand, which Kinana shook hesitantly.
Azura, Gorun noticed, had fallen silent within her card, looking both confused and apprehensive at the sudden appearance of her master.
"Er-hem," a gravelly voice interrupted as Kinana and Chronoa released hands. "Care to explain what all this is about?" Makarov asked with a raised eyebrow. "I know the guild hall was destroyed by the same people that took Éclair, but the young wizard trapped in the card is news to me. Not to mention this young lady…" He eyed Chronoa, but unlike usual, his gaze was respectful, if not apprehensive. Clearly, he could sense that there was something about her that warned him not to try anything funny.
At least he's smarter than Elder Kai in that regard, Gorun thought to himself as Chronoa approached the wizened guild master.
"Ooh, you're Gorun's guild master!" she said with a bright smile as she stopped in front of the man, her own height actually matching his. "Hello there! He used to work for me, but I guess life here as a wizard was more exciting, huh?"
"So you would be…?" Makarov said slowly, his eyes widening.
"I'm the Supreme Kai of Time!" Chronoa said cheerily. "I guess Gorun's told you guys about me, huh?"
"A bit, yeah…" Gray said warily. "He said that the last time he saw you, there was a god of destruction following."
"Oh Beerus?" she giggled. "He's not here today. Just little ol' me!"
"We are honored by your presence, great Kai," Erza said with a deep bow to the lady. "But what brings you so far, and when we are so ill-equipped to receive you?"
"Yeah, sorry about all this," the ancient goddess said with a wince. "It's partly my fault, so I'll fix it up. Here, just gimme a sec." She clicked her fingers, and everyone in Fairy Tail- save for Gorun- staggered back as they felt a wave of power beyond anything they had ever experienced wash over them and their city.
When it was done and the resulting glow had faded, the guild hall was good as new, and they suspected that the rest of Magnolia looked to be the same. "Okeedoke, that's that," Chronoa grinned.
"My lady, your gift is a generous one indeed, but…" Makarov began, then hesitated until the kai indicated for him to continue. "You bear no blame in this, none at all! Why help us?"
"Well, it is my fault, because apparently I don't keep a very good eye on my agents," Chronoa sighed as she turned back to look at Azura, who was still being held by Cana. Holding out her hand, she asked, "May I see that?"
Cana raised an eyebrow at Gorun, who nodded quickly. The brunette handed over the prison containing Azura, who knelt within the card toward her master without a word. "This is some handy work," Chronoa mused as she turned the card this way and that, studying it. "I could use this in the Time Patrol… But first things first, I need you to let her out."
"Er, Grandma?" Gorun said, still hesitating a little bit over the form of address. "I'm pretty sure she still wants to knock my lights out…"
"I won't let her," she reassured him. Looking down at the card in her hand, Chronoa added in a stern voice, "No fighting, Azura, with him or anyone here. Am I understood?"
"Yes ma'am," the girl replied stiffly, still in her bowed position.
"Good," the petite kai said, satisfied. Looking back at Cana, she added, "Let her out now, please." Cana needed no further urging, waving her hand over the card and releasing Azura from it. There was a brief glow, and when it faded, the blue-haired Saiyan had appeared, still kneeling before Chronoa.
"Azura, I am very disappointed in you," the ages-old kai said sternly. "You went against a very explicit order of mine, and worse, you've tried to justify it."
"Elder Kai agreed with me that further damage to the timeline should be-"
"Elder Kai is no longer working at the Time Nest," Chronoa interrupted her swiftly. "What he thinks doesn't bear any weight in how the Time Patrol is run anymore."
"What?" Azura gasped, though her gaze remained lowered.
"He's been replaced by King Kai from an alternate timeline we had to repair recently," the magenta kai informed them. "One where Broly destroyed the North Galaxy instead of the south."
"But why-"
"Innumerable sexual harassment complaints made me realize that asking him for help was a bad idea to begin with, not to mention he's always annoying Lord Beerus," Chronoa deadpanned. "Also, he went against my wishes by helping you come after Gorun, and as the master of the Time Nest, I will not be undermined by anyone, kai or patroller. I believe that King Kai will be a lot more reasonable to work with, and Goku practically begged me to let him have the job."
"I didn't mean to-"
"What?" Chronoa demanded sharply, cutting off her charge. "You didn't mean to disobey? Undermine my authority as the commander of the Time Patrol? Harm the timeline? Guess what, Azura, you've done exactly that!"
"But he's the one who-" She started to point at Gorun, but she was again cut off by a now-angry kai.
"He has my permission to be here!" she snapped, cutting off the girl. "I allowed him to alter the original timeline with his presence! Who are you to say that my decision was made poorly?! You forget your place, Azura!"
"I only sought to do my duty, and defend the original course of history!" Azura said, an edge of fear creeping into her voice. "That is what my entire existence has been devoted to!"
"No, I don't think so," Chronoa replied firmly. "Ever since you and Gorun were little, you entire goal has been to surpass him. Becoming an elite Time Patroller was merely a by-product of that chosen path, not your primary objective. You didn't come here to protect time. You came to prove yourself."
"Master, I-"
"No," the female kai said with a negative shake of her head. "I gave everyone in the patrol specific orders not to come after him. Why that happens to be is none of your business. But, since you seem so desperate to have your rivalry with him, even if it means going against the commands of the Supreme Kai of Time, maybe I should give you what you want."
"Sorry, what?!" Gorun yelped, even as Azura's eyes finally went up to meet Chronoa's.
"Gorun, please be quiet," his grandmother ordered. "Azura clearly wants a rivalry with you more than she wants to be a Time Patroller. So that's what she'll get."
"Wait, Supreme Kai-"
"You be quiet, too, Azura," she said firmly, her voice cracking like a whip. "You brought this on yourself. Remember that."
"I don't-"
"Just like Gorun, you are banished from Conton City, now, and until the end of time," Chronoa proclaimed. "You will live out the rest of your days here, on Earthland, in the charge of the former Time Patroller Kaidon." Gorun flinched at the name, but he did not voice any protests he may or may not have had as Azura sagged visibly, her eyes dropping from her now-former master's. "Azura, for disobeying a direct order from the Master of the Time Nest, you are hereby relieved of duty, and no longer welcomed as a Time Patroller in Conton City."
It was all the blue-haired girl could do to nod miserably in defeat. Seeing that the message had been driven home, Chronoa turned back to Makarov, who looked dumbfounded at the proceedings. "I would ask that your guild look after her," she told the old man. "I'll be keeping an eye on her to make sure that she doesn't cause you any trouble, but she's just as skilled as Gorun, if not more so. Maybe if she and him can work out their differences, she could make a good addition to your guild."
"Is this a job request?" the old man asked, blinking a couple of times in surprise.
"More a personal request," Chronoa shrugged. "Though if you're still feeling indebted to me because I fixed the city, you can think of this as working off your debt." She added the last part with a friendly smile.
"Well… All right," he nodded in agreement. "We'll take charge of her, then."
"Hold on!" Gorun protested, drawing the attention of the two leaders. "She tries to kidnap me, helps blow up half the city, and we're supposed to just take her in?!"
"Wouldn't be the first time these morons do something like that," Gajeel called over from where he was now resting, apparently content to sit back and watch.
Not wanting to concede, Gorun turned back to his grandmother, who had an impish grin on her face. Suddenly, something inside his head clicked, and he muttered, "This is part of my punishment for running away, isn't it?"
"Wasn't planning on her doing all this, but I guess that it works out to that end," the little kai said in a conspirator's tone. "Now, I think I'll be on my way home…"
"Wait, grandmother," Gorun said, following her as she began to walk toward the exit. "I have a question- nothing to do with the Time Patrol, I promise."
"What's up?" she asked over her shoulder.
"Which universe is this?" he inquired. "Ever since I came here, I've been wondering which reality I've come to."
"Oh that's easy," Chronoa giggled. "This is universe seventeen."
Gorun stopped in his tracks, not sure that he had heard her correctly. "Sorry, what?" he asked. "Did you say this is still universe seven?"
"Nope!" his grandmother chirped. "This is the seventeenth reality of the multiverse."
"But…" the ex-Time Patroller shook his head, confused. "I thought that there were only twelve universes…?"
Chronoa paused and looked back at him before asking, "Remember how the Tournament of Power ended?"
"Android 17 made a wish for the universes that had been erased to be brought back," Gorun answered swiftly. "Wait… Are you saying…?"
"He specifically asked for all the universes that had been erased to be brought back, so that's exactly what Super Shenron did," the ancient goddess nodded. "That wish also brought back the six universes that had been erased by Zeno so long ago. For those that weren't aware of the erasure, it was as though no time at all had passed, which is why no one on this world would have known about it."
Gorun whistled, surprised. "That's crazy," he murmured.
"Yeah-huh," Chronoa grinned. "Well, that's all the time I've got. If I ever visit again, hopefully it's not to banish another person to this world."
"Please no…" Gorun begged. "I'm already dreading what Azura will bring to this place."
"Hey, she's your problem now," the small kai smirked. "See ya!" With a flash of light, she vanished, returning to the Time Patrol.
That didn't stop Gorun from yelling after her, "No crime deserves this punishment!"
Later that afternoon, Teams Natsu, Gajeel, and Golden Tail were in a meeting with Makarov, Azura seated at the end of one of their long tables in the storage room. "So…" the old man mused, having just been caught up on everything that had happened while he was at the convention with the other Wizard Saints and Magic Council. "What to do? We must rescue Éclair, that much is certain. We also need to figure out what to do with our new friend here."
"If you are to make me a prisoner or execute me, just do it already," Azura said bitterly. "I have no reason to fight anymore."
"Pfft," Gorun snorted, amused. "Some Saiyan you are. One setback and you're done?"
"This isn't a setback, Kaidon!" the girl snapped, rising to her feet abruptly. Before she could speak any further, nearly every wizard in the room was ready to launch a spell at her if she made a wrong move. Glaring at each of them in turn until her gaze rested on Gorun, she added, "There is nothing for me after this. I didn't just want to be a better fighter than you, I wanted to be the greatest Time Patroller there ever has been, or ever will be! Surpassing you, the poster boy for the order, would have been the best way to do that, but you had to go and ruin everything by running away!"
"Sorry if I wanted my own destiny," the boy replied sarcastically. "But no one ever asked me if I wanted to be a Time Patroller, they just assumed I would be because of my parents!"
"So the solution was to run away from-"
"Enough!" Makarov shouted, grabbing everyone's attention. "While you two bicker over things that should already be settled, Éclair's life is at risk! Get some perspective!"
"…Sorry, master," Gorun said with a short bow to the old man. "You're right. What's our plan of action?"
"Gajeel has some information that should be helpful," the guild master replied, gesturing to the dragon slayer to speak. He gave Azura a look simultaneously that warned her to be quiet. The girl made a face at him, but she made no threatening moves. Apparently, there really was no fight left in her.
"We were doing a job up in Veronica, a small province north of Fiore," Gajeel began. "We overheard Carbuncle talking about a kidnapping, and how some duke wanted it done so that he could get his hands on some kind of special stone."
"The phoenix stone that Éclair was wearing," Lucy realized aloud.
Gajeel nodded, but it was Pantherlily that spoke up this time. "Apparently, he wants to use it and its twin at the ceremony that marks Veronica's four-hundredth year of existence in order to release the legendary phoenix," he explained. "That's in a couple of days, so if we're going to rescue Éclair before then, we need to leave tonight at the latest. Based on what Levy's told me, if those stones get put back together, and the phoenix gets revived, it ain't gonna be good news for anybody."
"It would need to be a small group that goes, since we can't risk a war with Veronica," Makarov cautioned.
"I'm betting that everyone on both our teams is gonna want to go," Gray observed, glancing at the others. "But that seems a little large for a small team."
"Gajeel and Pantherlily should go, provided they want to," Gorun said. "They've been up there already, so they would know the lay of the land better than the rest of us."
"A good point," Erza nodded. "You and I should go as well, Gorun, seeing as we have the greatest amount of combat experience."
"I won't argue with that," the boy nodded. "I'm throwing my vote behind Natsu and Gray as our other heavy hitters."
"I'd be glad to go," Gray said as he cracked his knuckles.
"I'm all fired up!" Natsu grinned.
"What about the rest of us?" Kinana asked. "Do you think we should stay here?"
"Hmm…" Gorun mused aloud. "Like master said, we need to keep this operation small. If we're taking any more members, I'd want to take Wendy along since she can heal those of us that get wounded." He gave his girlfriend an apologetic look, but she waved it off- the choice was a logical one, even if she didn't like it.
"How about a compromise?" Yukino suggested. "The rest of us go with you to Veronica by train, and stay on the outskirts of the city as backup in case something goes wrong?"
Gorun and Kinana exchanged another glance before sharing in a nod. "That works for me," the purple-haired girl said.
"Why take a train?" Romeo pointed out. "We can just use instant transmission to get there, right Gorun?"
"Normally I would, but I need a strong power level to lock onto if I'm travelling any long distances," Gorun explained. "I don't think there's anyone in Veronica with a high enough power level for that to work."
"Rats," the younger boy muttered.
"Hey, it was a good suggestion," his leader said with a grin. "You're trying, and that's what counts in my book." Romeo smiled back at him while Azura rolled her eyes at them both.
"You're all idiots," she muttered.
"Look lady, if you don't have anything helpful to add, keep your pie hole shut," Lucy snapped. "We've got a friend to rescue, which is your fault! If you hadn't shown up and taken Gorun away from the fight, we woulda crushed those guys!"
"You're talking about going up against an entire city-state with just a half-dozen wizards," Azura replied thinly. "You'd never make it past the guards on the outer walls."
"We can if we go in during the celebration, when they've got more troops keeping an eye on the parades," Gray countered. "There'd be a skeleton guard on the walls at best."
"Then it's easier to lose them in the crowds," Gorun added. "We make our way to wherever they plan on using these stones- and if we're lucky, where they're keeping Éclair- and get to work causing a disruption."
"A Fairy Tail specialty," Erza smiled.
"You're just assuming that everything will go according to your plan," Azura said flatly. "It won't. Something always goes wrong. Not to mention those people that I came here with will easily overwhelm any of you besides Kaidon."
"My name is Gorun," the boy growled.
"Whatever," she snapped. "Point is, you're all going to get yourself killed, and for what? Some girl you barely know?"
"Yeah," Natsu growled at her. "That's exactly what we're gonna do. Know why?"
"I'm sure this is going to be asinine, but I'll humor you," the saiyan girl sighed. "Why?"
"Because we're Fairy Tail," Natsu said as he bore his emblem proudly. "We've got a friend in need, and a score to settle. That Car-bucko guild won't know what hit 'em."
"You could… come with us," Gorun offered reluctantly.
"…What?" Azura asked slowly, not sure that she'd heard him right.
"Come see what we're all about," Gorun told her. "It's not like you have anything better to do, and grandmother told me to keep an eye on you."
"You must be out of your mind if you think I'm going to help you after you cost me my career in the Time Patrol," Azura snarled at him.
"Fine, don't help us," Gorun shrugged. "Just come and watch. But seeing as you're so proudly a Saiyan, I'll bet that the first chance you have to get in on a fight, you'll take it."
Azura maintained her glare at him for several long seconds before snapping, "Fine."
Kinana looked at her boyfriend nervously before she asked in a lowered tone, "Are you sure that's wise? What if she tries to attack you again while you're distracted?"
"She won't, it's not in her nature," he assured her. "She'll be brutal in any fight she goes into, but she doesn't do sneak attacks unless it's absolutely necessary. Saiyans prefer direct, open combat, and she's definitely more Saiyan than not when it comes to mentality."
"Unlike some others in the room," Azura said, renewing her glare at her rival.
"Wait, does she-"
"Have sensitive hearing like me?" Gorun sighed. "Yeah…"
"Why are you trying to take her with us?!" Gray demanded suddenly. "She tried to vaporize you not three hours ago, now you're just gonna trust her? At least with Gajeel, we didn't just bring him along with us- circumstances forced us to work together!"
"And look how it turned out," Gorun countered. "Look, I can promise that I'm the least thrilled about this out of anyone here. But I'm also trying to embody what it means to be a good Fairy Tail wizard. This seems like a good way to go."
"He's not asking you to like it," Makarov interjected. "But as guild master, I'm ordering you all to take her with you. Maybe you'll all find some common ground along the way."
"Unlikely," Azura snorted. "I'm only going because I have nothing better to do. As soon as I do, I'm out of here."
"Try to run, and the Supreme Kai of Time will know about it," Gorun warned her. "And then who knows who she'll send after you?" Azura flinched, but said nothing in response. Giving into a satisfied smile, the saiyan boy turned to the others and said, "All right, we've got our team. Let's go rescue Éclair."
The city-state of Veronica was full of festivities and cheering crowds. Tonight was the night that they would be celebrating their province's four hundredth birthday, so of course the entire population turned out to celebrate. There were already small firework displays being put on, and musicians at every city block. Truly, it would be a party to remember.
Even the guards on the city walls, normally so alert and on guard against any trouble inside or outside the walls, were relaxed, enjoying low conversations and drinks to celebrate their homeland's birth date.
It wasn't until they heard the telltale sounds of a group of people running at them that one of the guards stood up straight, levelling his spear at the darkness beyond the firelight. "Halt!" he called, drawing the attention of some of his comrades. "Who goes there? The gate is closed for the night!"
"We're Fairy Tail, and we say it's open!" Gray shouted back, the air around him dropping a few degrees even as Gorun rushed ahead of him, his aura glowing red.
"Big Bang Attack!" the monkey-tailed youth shouted, casting the spell at the startled guards, who were instantly levelled by the ferocious blast.
"Ice-make: Hammer!" his icy companion added, conjuring a huge hammer that smashed the iron gates open.
The wizards all ran or flew past the gate's remnants, grim expressions on their faces. "Spread out in pairs!" Gorun ordered as he took the lead. "Erza and Gray, you two sweep to the north-west, I can sense one of the Carbuncle wizards in that area. Gajeel, you and Pantherlily take to the sewers in the south-west, same thing. Wendy, hang back with Carla and keep the soldiers busy, but be ready to come assist if you see one of us fire a signal flare."
"You got it!" the little girl affirmed as she stopped running and turned around to face a squadron of soldiers that had begun to give chase.
"Azura, you're with me," the Saiyan boy added. "Momon, Natsu, and Happy are making a straight shot for Éclair, as are we. I'm hoping to draw out their leader so that one of us can keep him busy while the others rescue Éclair." The little bird had insisted on coming along for the rescue mission, despite the protests of the others.
"Is that really necessary?" Azura huffed. "Like I said, I'm not interested in helping you or your happy little gang, Kaidon."
"No, but where I'm headed is where all the action is," the boy shot back. "You wanted a fight with me so bad? Too bad, I'm not interested. But there is a fight to be had, and I get the feeling that before the night is over, things will get way more exciting than they should."
"What makes you say that?" the girl asked, in spite of herself.
"Just the way things are in our guild," he smirked in response. "And let's admit- the same thing happens to our family all the time."
"Heh," Azura laughed, but she straightened her face before Gorun could see the smile creeping across her features. "I suppose you have a point."
"Then let's go," he said as he flew above the rooftops, making a beeline for where he could see the city's central plaza, where a massive bonfire was being lit… and the guards were dragging what looked like a young woman toward it.
Éclair!
Gorun: ...
Azura: ...
Saiki: What a pain... Was putting Mataras in the omake hospital really necessary?
Gorun: He's lucky I didn't kill him!
Azura: And you think I have the tendency to overreact?
Gorun: Shut up! You're not involved, Azura!
Azura: I'm feeling pretty involved.
Saiki: What a pain. Next time on Saiyan Tail- Twin Saiyans, Twin Destinies. Coming Goku Day, 2019.
Next time on Saiyan Tail...
Gorun froze, caught between a rock and a hard place. If he fired the etherion blast now, he could easily incapacitate the duke, maybe even scatter the phoenix stone so that it would be hidden for a little while. But if he did that, the man standing by Éclair with a torch in hand would be able to ignite her funeral pyre. Should he choose to save her, though, the phoenix would certainly be revived to wreak havoc upon the innocent bystanders, and even the world at large if it went on a rampage.
He looked over to Azura, who simply shrugged, maintaining a blank expression. Apparently she really didn't care which way the situation went. Damn her stubbornness, he seethed. If she would only help him, they could take down both threats simultaneously.
Maybe I could try for a Double Sunday? He thought as sweat began to line his brow. No, if I drop the Kamehameha, they'll both make their moves, and then I'll have really screwed the pooch.
"It seems that we have reached what educated people call an impasse," the duke sneered up at him. "But I won't wait forever, wizard. No matter what you do, the phoenix will be revived this night to crown me ruler of Earthland for all time!"
"Don't let him do it!" Éclair suddenly called up to the Fairy Tail wizard. "Whatever happens to me, the phoenix must not be revived!"
Gorun met her gaze, seeing the fierce determination there, the willingness to sacrifice everything to see that the horror of the ancient fire bird would not be brought back to harm anyone else. In that moment, he realized that there was no choice to be made.
Saiyan Tail Profile
Subject: Kinana
Wizard Name: The Fairy Flower
Actual Age Age at Debut: 25 yrs
Physical Age At Debut: 15 yrs
Current Actual Age: 27 yrs
Current Physical Age: 17
Conception/Author's commentary:
Okay, clearly Kinana isn't my original character. However, I do like what I've been able to do with her, especially given how underutilized her potential was in the original Fairy Tail series. I think that the 'Neo Oracion Seis' arc in the anime was partly meant to fix that, and to a degree, it succeeded, though since it doesn't constitute as canon material, I dunno how much care Hiro Mashima really has for the character. In any case, I know he's got a ton of characters to care for, but that's where people like me step in to show some of these background characters a little extra love to let them shine for once.
Now, admittedly, I almost did the same thing to her as Mashima. As I've mentioned previously, in the early stages of planning for this series, I had intended for Gorun and Yukino to end up together after the Dragon King Festival. However, after some discussion with my wife, I decided to give Kinana a chance to stand out in the spotlight, and boy has she! Although not as powerful as Gorun or the other top elite wizards, and certainly not as hotheaded, her strength is nothing to laugh at, because despite her demure nature, she can pack a punch solid enough to floor an S-class mage on par with Erza.
Her relationship with Gorun is really fun to write, and refreshing for a guy who usually spends his time writing about way darker themes than a couple of kids having fun with their lives, and being happy with one another.
Known Techniques:
-Dodonpa (Dodon Ray)
-Masenko
-Kikoho(Tri-Beam)
-Shin Kikoho (Neo Tri-Beam)
-Taiyoken (Solar Flare)
-Gallick Gun
Known Transformations/Enhancements:
-Kaioken (up to five times)
Equipment/Items Used:
-Senzu Beans
Accomplishments:
-Saved the life of Erik/Cobra as a child during events in the Tower of Heaven
-Learned Etherion Magic from Gorun at the physical age of sixteen, despite her initial belief that she did not possess magic herself
-Was part of the Fairy Tail Team that took 8th place in the qualifying round of the Grand Magic Games
-Defeated Bacchus, an S-class wizard from Quatro Cerberus on day two of the Grand Magic Games
-Became a founding member of the Fairy Tail team, Golden Tail, led by Gorun
Stats:
-Power: 3/7
-Speed: 2/7
-Technique: 5/7
-Intelligence: 4/7
Cooperativeness:6/7
Fun Facts:
-She had no real interest in magic until Gorun offered to teach it to her as a way of spending more time together
-While she has fun going out on missions as a wizard, she mostly prefers the quiet hours that she can spend in her home, relaxing either alone or with friends
-Her favorite spell is the Taiyoken, despite hardly ever using it, since it is the least violent weapon at her disposal
-Her cooking skills rival Mirajane's
-She secretly hopes to marry Gorun someday, though she is wary of bringing up the subject with him because of how he reacts to Juvia's advances on Gray
-Her guild mark is light gray, and located on her right shoulder