Chapter 20: Hidden Tears
Phantom Lord Headquarter
As Sakura continues to play the ocarina and the Fairy Tail members fighting the Shades, the crystal balls on the walls has started to charge the large lacrima in the room as Natsu looks at his opponent Totomaru.
"Natsu! Jupitar has activated!" Happy exclaims as he frantically waves his arms.
"I know, geez!" Natsu replies.
"Take this… Blue Fire!" Totomaru yells creating a red magic circle in front of him and firing a blast of blue fire towards Natsu who starts sucking it up immediately taking Totomaru a back a bit of shock.
"Ooh, that's cold! Never eaten fire like that before." Natsu says as he finishes sucking the blue fire.
"I see… So you're the Dragon Slayer I've heard rumors about. This means that we're both at a disadvantage." Totomaru says crossing his arms on his chest.
"Oh yeah?"
"Fire won't work on either of us."
"Don't decidin' that yourself! I haven't even hit you yet!" Natsu exclaims with a vein popped above his head.
"Exactly! I can't be hit by fire!"
"Then how about this…" Natsu says as he slams his fist together and bloats his face up for a roar attack. "Fire Dragon's…"
"All fire is under my control!" Totomaru says as he puts his hands forward and creates a magic circle.
"…Spit!" Natsu finishes, firing a barrage of spits at Totomaru whose eyes widen and cries out in shock and disgust as the spit hits him.
"Soaked…" Totomaru mutters with his face covered with spits as Natsu laughs and points at him.
"You fell for it!"
"2 minutes until Jupiter fires"
"This isn't good!" Happy cries out in terror as sweat runs down his face and his eyes goes blank and then he begins flying around frantically. "Jupiter's gonna fire!"
"Why you… You tricked me!" Totomaru exclaims in anger. "Orange Fire!" He yells sending a blast of orange fire at Natsu.
"Didn't you see? I eat fire!" Natsu reminds him as he is engulfs by the fire but this time Natsu finds himself gagging. "It stinks!" He cries out with his eyes going blank and shooting tears out from it. Natsu falls to the ground and begins rolling around covering his nose. "My nose!"
"That's fire's the smell of a mop drenched with curdled milk!" Totomaru says after he laughs.
"You dirty little…" Natsu growls as he and Totomaru get up in each other faces.
"Well you started it!" Totomaru retorts.
"1 minute until Jupiter fires"
"NATSU! CALM DOWN!" Happy yells tugging on his skin.
"Quiet!" Natsu yells breaking free of Happy's grip as he runs and throws a normal punch at Totomaru.
"Whoa there… Giving up on magic and using your fists?" Totomaru questions as he dodges the punch and then a kick from Natsu, launching himself back into the air and lands on top of a big gear. "In that case, I, with my katana, have the advantage!"
Totomaru then draws his katana, disappearing, and reappearing in front of Natsu in a quick blur as he prepares to strike him. He swings it around as Natsu jumps back to avoid it. However, Totomaru disappears and reappears again in front of him, but Natsu manages to kick the katana out of his hand and flies into the lacrima. Natsu grins seeing he damaged the lacrima, but barely with a little crack on it while Totomaru grunts in disapproval as they both land back on the ground.
"Too bad. A scratch like that can't destroy such a large lacrima." Totomaru says.
"Oh is that so?" Natsu questions, lighting both of his fists on fire and launches himself at Totomaru. "Then how about this?" Natsu throws his punches at him as Totomaru casually dodges each punch.
"Honestly, you don't learn a thing, do you?" Totomaru questions as he raises his left hand, controlling Natsu right fire fist into punching him straight in the face. Although this time, Natsu roars in anger and expands the fire from his face into Totomaru, hitting him for one as this shock him.
"Why that… He expanded the fire enough so I'd get hit by it?" Totomaru thought.
Outside the headquarter
The dark energy from before begins to gather around the Jupitar Cannon.
"This isn't looking good." Loke says with a terrified look on his face.
"What's taking Natsu so long!" Wakaba questions.
"Hurry, Natsu!" Erza yells.
As Sakura finishes playing the last note, a water twister rises from the lake as a shadow figure swims along the twister before it spreads its wings out causing the water to disperse and the Fairy Tail members gaze upon it.
The figure is a large dragon, pale silver-white, but it has blue undersides with slightly varying tones. It has a ridged mouth like a beak, although it has pointed teeth on its lower jaw. Its head has a point to the back, and its eyes have pointed blue or black spikes on them. The figure has a long, slender neck and a smooth, streamlined body. Dark blue or black plate-like protrusions run down the length of its back, and there are two smaller, more pointed ones on the end of its tail. It has large wings that resemble hands.
"What is that?"
"…Lugia…" Sakura trails off as the Diving Pokémon looks down at her as it flaps its wings gently in the air.
"Lugia! Please, lend us your strength! This place is important to us! So please!" Sakura pleads as Lugia stares at her for a while and nods once which made her to smile. "Thank you!"
Lugia turns around towards the Phantom Lord Headquarters before open its mouth.
In the Phantom Lord Headquarter
"This isn't good! This isn't good!" Happy continues to cry out in terror and panic.
"20 second until Jupiter fires."
"Natsu expands the fire on his fist.
"That won't work a second time. I told you already… All fire is under my control!" Totomaru says as he summons his magic circle again to control Natsu's fire. However, as Natsu cries out in anger, his fire doesn't affect by Totomaru shocking him completely. "What the… It won't move! That fire… It couldn't be!" Natsu stops yelling and puts the fire together raising it over his head.
"He's resisting my control? Did he figure that out during the fight?" Totomaru thought.
"Natsu!" Happy cries out as Jupiter prepares to fire, the electricity and lighting intensifies. At the same time, Lugia begins to gather blue energy inside it.
"How dare you move my fire!" Natsu yells in anger as he throws the fire at Totomaru who jumps to his right to dodge it.
"Haha! What does it matter as long as you don't hit me?" Totomaru taunts as then the fire transforms into a fist, flying straight towards the lacrima.
"3… 2… 1…"
The fore impacts into the lacrima, specifically Totomaru's katana.
"What?! " Totomaru yells.
"I wasn't aiming for you from the start!" Natsu declares with a devilish grin on his face. The fire pushes the katana deeper into the lacrima causing the crack to begin to expand more.
Outside
Lugia then fires a massive beam of energy from its mouth at the Jupiter Cannon causing the cannon to explode.
"Look at that! The cannon!" Bisca yells in joy.
"They did it! They manage to destroy Jupiter!" Alzack yells as the rest of the Fairy Tail cries out in a cheer.
"Thank goodness." Sakura says in relief.
Inside the Phantom Lord Headquarter
As the smoke clears, the entire room is messed up, the ceiling and the wall are destroyed allowing the sun to shine into the destroyed room.
"Incredible…" Totomaru says after he lands on a destroyed gear as Natsu and Happy below him.
"Look here, bud. Fire ain't gonna listen to people telling it what to do. It responds to your heart's will." Natsu says slamming his fist into his hand.
"I see… Without defeating him and overcoming his control of fire, it would have been impossible to destroy Jupiter! I guess I was the one who wasn't thinking calmly." Happy thought with a relieved look on his face.
Fairy Tail side
"Not bad there, Natsu!" Macao says.
"Without Jupiter, we'll manage things somehow!" Laki says.
"Now's our chance to push them back! Wipe out the enemy!" Erza yells as the rest of the guild cheers in agreement as the Shades coming back at them.
"But something isn't right. Even without the cannon, the shades haven't disappeared." Sakura thought.
Phantom Lord Headquarter
"You can't manipulate my fire any longer! It's your turn to get blown to smithereens, Phantom!" Natsu exclaims as he fires his fists and Totomaru grunts and grits his teeth in anger.
Suddenly, the entire building begins to shake as outside, the shades begins to fly back to the Phantom Lord guild and begin circling around it as the building begins to change.
"What the, what?" Natsu questions worryingly with sweat flying from him.
"It's tilting!" Happy yells as the floor beneath them is beginning to tilt with them.
"They plan to do that?! This area isn't laterally stabilized!" Totomaru exclaims.
"Laterally?" Natsu repeats when the room shakes again sending them falling to the ground.
Fairy Tail side
"Now what are they planning?" Laki wonders as all the wizards look up in shock at the Phantom Lord guild.
"As I thought…" Sakura says
Inside
"The giant has awakened! It's over for you guys!" Totomaru declares with a grin on his face. When he looks down, he is shocked by what he sees as Natsu is on the ground with a bloated face and blank, small, eyes.
"Natsu, hang in there!" Happy says.
"No way…" Natsu weakly says as the motion sickness comes over him.
Outside
"What the heck is that? I mean seriously…" Cana questions.
"It's a giant… A magical giant!" Loke says.
In front of the Fairy Tail guild, Phantom Lord guild transformed into a giant standing before them.
"You should grovel and beg for forgiveness, you damn kids. Then you will learn your place! Feast on your despair until the end of your pitiful lives!" Jose's voice comes over the PA.
Sakura tries to stand up again as Latias turns to her before whirls around with a worried expression.
"I'm fine. We need to deal with these shades first." Sakura says as all the shades fly back towards the Fairy Tail members.
"The Shades are coming back!" Alzack yells.
"A giant and ghost? What are they doing?" Bisca questions.
"We need to concentrate on the Shades!" Cana says preparing more of her cards.
"Cana's right. There's nothing we can do about their guild. Natsu will have find a way to stop that thing themselves." Erza says.
"Sure, but…" Wakaba trails off.
"Natsu and transportation…" Macao says.
"A–h~…" Everyone groans as their arms drop and they turn pale.
"We'll go in and check how he is doing!" Sakura tells them and turns to her Pokémons. "Latias can come with me as the rest of you stay here and protect the guild." She orders and all of her Pokémons nods. Sakura then jumps onto Latias' back before Latias flies up where the cannon was.
Inside
Natsu's face remains bloated as he gags from the sickness.
"Natsu, sheesh!" Happy calls shaking him back and forth.
"You get motion sick? You can't eat fire as you are mow. I'll burn you to a crisp with my strongest magic!" Totomaru says as he creates a magic circle in front of him.
"Natsu!" Happy yells.
"I'll blow you to bits, Dragon Slayer! Uh…" Totomaru trails off as all of a sudden ice begins to cover hi from head to toe. "What the…!" He yells in shock as he becomes completely frozen.
"If you're a man… fly to the heavens and become a star!" Elfman yells coming out of nowhere and smacking the frozen Totomaru into the sky through the hole in the ceiling with his reptile beast arm.
"What is that supposed to mean?!" Totomaru's voice echoes as he flies out of view into the sky.
"You guys…" Natsu says standing back up weakly after his motion sickness is gone.
"Too cool! Gray, Elfman!" Happy says.
"Mr. Natsu is so pitiful he is." Gray says.
"If you're a man, then you should make the car sick!" Elfman says.
"Natsu! Happy!" Natsu and Happy turn and sees Latias flying towards them with Sakura riding on her.
"Sakura! Latias!" Happy calls and when Latias gets near the ground, Sakura jumps off next to her.
"Are you two okay?" Sakura asks.
"Yep!"
"So, are these the remains of Jupiter?" Gray asks.
"Aye!" Happy replies.
"Good job there."
"Oh, it's stopped all of a sudden!" Natsu says noticing the Phantom Lord guild is no longer moving.
"I'll take a look outside!" Happy says.
Outside
The right arm of the giant slowly moving, making something in the air in front of it as the Fairy Tail members plus Sakura Pokémons notice this as they continue fighting the Shades.
"Letters? No…" Alzack says as he and Bisca continue firing their guns while eyeing the strange thing in the sky.
"That's… No way!" Bisca says.
"It's a magic circle!" Laki yells.
"That magic circle, it can't be… Abyss Break!? But that's a forbidden magic!" Erza yells.
"At that size, we're in big trouble! Magnolia itself will be destroyed in the wave of darkness!" Loke says.
Inside
"…is what they said!" Happy yells.
"What the heck! I don't believe this!" Natsu yells in anger with his eyes wide and blank and his teeth sharp as he clenches his right fist.
"Why? He would destroy everything and kill everyone including Lucy." Sakura says.
"We have no choice but to split up and find the power moving this giant." Gray says.
"Man… Out of the frying pan and into the fire…" Elfman says.
"Okay then, let's do it!" Natsu says.
"Yeah!" Elfman, Gray, and Sakura say in unison.
Outside
As the Fairy Tail wizards and Sakura's Pokémons are fighting off the Shades, Vent stops from the comer of his eyes sees Mirajane disguised as Lucy walking towards the giant.
"Hey!" Cana shouts.
"Mira, what are you doing?" Bisca questions.
"Don't it's dangerous!" Alzack warns her.
"You people are looking for me, right? Stop your attack on the guild this instant!" Mirajane in Lucy's voice yells out as she spreads her arms out.
"This should at least buy everyone some time." Mirajane thought.
"Begone… You damn imposter!" Jose voice says and Mirajane lowers her arms in shock that her trick didn't work. "Ha! I knew from the start! I knew that Lucy wasn't here." He says as Mirajane transforms back to herself.
"Damn it…" Cana says and Mirajane clutches her hands at the thought how she is powerless.
Inside
"The Man, Elfman, will protect Fairy Tail with his life!" Elfman yells out as he runs through a hallway of the Phantom Lord guild.
Elfman steps on one tile of the stone as he continues running, which then chances into an eyeball that opens widely.
"Oui?" A voice says as it echoes out.
"Huh?" Elfman questions, turning around as then the Element 4 member, Sol appears from under the floor bending a bit to his right.
"Salut!" Sol greets casually with a wave of his right hand.
"An Element 4?" Elfman says as he throws his coat off revealing his dark red undershirt.
Outside
"Don't worry. Elfman can fight. Because he's a Fairy Tail wizard too!" Cana says reassuring to Mirajane and she looks up at the giant.
"Elfman…" Mirajane thought when a green magic circle appeared below her catching her off guard.
"Oh no!" Cana yells as she and a few others notice this but she is pulled into it. "Mira!"
Mirajane then appears between two fingers of the giant's left hand which then grasp her in between tightly causing her to cry out in pain.
"I detest girls like this who try to deceive me. Witness your friend's final moments as I crush her slowly." Jose says.
"Mira!" Cana cries out.
"Damn it, what the hell!" Macao says.
"Mira-chan!" Wakaba yells.
"Jose, you coward!" Erza yells.
Then suddenly, Takeru quickly jumps up to where Mirajane is and lands near her before he begins to pull one of the fingers away from Mirajane.
Inside
"My name is Sol! Please call me Monsieur Sol!" Sol introduces.
"Perfect timing. I'll force you to tell me how to stop this giant." Elfman says and lifts his arm up. "Beast arm! Black Bull!" He yells transforming his right arm into a large black-furred beast arm.
"Oh? Just your right arm? Are you sure?" Sol questions causing Elfman to grunt and narrows his eyes at him. "It seems that the rumors are true." He says as Sol swings his body from side to side.
"I've had enough of your babbling!" Elfman yells launching himself towards Sol. Sol jumps backwards upside down as Elfman's fist slams into the ground, destroying it.
"Didn't you have a little sister?" Sol questions with a sinister look and shadow on his face causing Elfman to raise his head towards him as Sol touches back on the ground. "Sable Dance!" He yells, summoning up a swirl of sand around Elfman causing him to lose sight on Sol as he appears behind him and Elfman turns notice him. "Roche Concerto!" Sol yells causing the rock beneath the two to blast upwards into them propelling him into the air and causing him to cry out in pain. Elfman luckily recover mid-air and land back on their feet. "Non, non, non…" Sol says before disappearing back underground and reappearing behind Elfman who notice him. Suddenly, Sol wraps his body around Elfman's right leg and arm. "Salut!"
"You really creepy me out." Elfman says as he then grabs him and attemps to pull him off.
"Non, non, non. Three nons and you're in quite a sad state." Sol says.
Unhand me Monster Sol!" Elfman demands in anger.
"Monsieur!" Sol retorts unwinding himself from Elfman and then delivers a roundhouse kick sending him flying back.
"This guy's way stronger than he looks!" Elfman thought and fix himself in mid-air before landing on the ground.
"Speaking of which… You failed at a complete body takeover and went out of control." Sol says again with a sadistic look on his face.
"Elfman looks down at the ground for a second before looking back at him with anger. "Enough! Beast Arm Iron Bull!" Elfman yells jumping towards him and transforming his arm into a massive stone fist. Just then, a girl made of sand appears before Elfman, causing him to stop his attack and jumps back with a shocked look on his face. "Lisanna!"
"I apologize. But as you were stepped on me previously, I read the gap in your memory." Sol says.
"Why you…"
"What a precious sister of yours. I wonder where she might be now?" Sol questions leaning behind the Lisanna sand statue's right shoulder and putting her hands on it. His eyes suddenly widen with another sadistic look. "Oh, how rude of me. She's buried in the cold dark ground, isn't she?" He says as Elfman turns his arm back to normal with a saddened look on his face as he continues to look down at the statue of his little sister. "Oh, how sad… How could you do such a cruel thing?"
"Elf-niichan, my brother?" The Lisanna statue calls with Sol's voice mixed in.
Elfman suddenly shouts and summons a magic circle in front of him as he continues to cry out looking up at the ceiling.
"I won't be deceived… I've got to do this!" Elfman thought as a yellow light appears beneath him.
"Non, non, non. You can't do that. What would happen if you made a debacle of a full body Take Over and you lost control? Did you forget what you did last time?" Sol questions suddenly creating more Lisanna look-alike sand statues giving them more detail and colors. Then all of the fake Lisannas then begin start talking.
"Elf-niichan."
"How could you forget?"
"How cruel…"
"Why?"
"Don't do it, Elf-niichan…"
The light dies down and he falls onto his right knee holding his right arm in pain seeing and hearing all of the Lisannas.
"You shouldn't try to do what you can't handle. It seems your magical power has weakened considerably." Sol says as he had the Lisannas gather around Elfman.
"You coward… If you're a man, then fight me fair and square, fist to fist!" Elfman shouts.
"If I'm a man, you say? Non, non, non…" Sol says as he gathers the sand making a whirlpool as the statue Lisannas are destroyed. "I cannot let that pass. Not from someone with no right to questions the manliness of others. Trash like you who killed his own little sister! Platre Sonate!"
Outside
Takeru continues to pull the finger away from Mirajane but stops and decides to use Aura Sphere at the finger when an explosion occurs which both Takeru and Mirajane to look up. When the smoke is cleared, they see Elfman lying on the edge.
"Elfman!" Mirajane shouts and Elfman opens one of his eyes to see a familiar figure in between the fingers. "ELFMAN!"
"What? Why? Why are you there?! Nee-chan!" Elfman shouts as Mirajane is struggling to get out of the two fingers grasp as Takeru shoots Aura Sphere one after another at one of the fingers.
"Oh? So she is your elder sister? Which means she was once the feared Devil, Mirajane-sama? Losing so much of her magical power… What a pity! And who could be blame for it?" Sol questions. "She is being punished for attempting to deceive us. It won't be long until she is crushed." He continues as Mirajane has a pain expression on her face as she manages to open one of her eyes.
"Run… Run, Elfman!" Mirajane shouts as the giant's hand brings closer to Elfman and Sol.
"Let my sister go!" Elfman demands.
"You will lose your elder sister right before your eyes, just like the younger. And that is because you are an important wizard who does nothing but spout bluffs about manliness!" Sol then summons a yellow magic circle behind Elfman as his body feels the gravity. "As a gentleman, I cannot forgive you. I will give you enteral suffering. Sealing Magic, Merci la Vie! You will become one with the land, and continue to wander for eternity inside your own unpleasant memories!"
"NO!" Elfman shouts and when the magic circle disappeared, stone begin to appear on Elfman's body as Elfman is reliving his memories.
"Elfman, Hang in there! Wake up! Elfman!" Mirajane shouts out as Takeru continues shooting Aura Spheres at the finger.
When the stone convers most of his face, Elfman's eyes turns back to normal as tears fall from his face.
"Elfman! Elfman, hang in there!" Mirajane shouts and she reaches out for him as tears fall from her face. "I can't… lose you too!"
"Now, it's about time for the finale!" Sol says.
"Why's that?" Elfman speaks causing Sol to turn around.
"Oh?"
I vowed never to see my sister's tears again!" Elfman says as yellow light appears beneath the stones as they are broken apart from his body. "So what are ya' crying for?!" He questions as the light gets brighter.
"That light…" Mirajane says as she and Takeru look at the light. "Don't do it, Elfman! You can't!"
"WHO WAS IT THAT MADE HER CRY?!" Elfman shouts as his body gets surrounded by the light.
"It's impossible! You are not capable of doing a full body Take Over!" Sol exclaims when a magic circle appears behind Elfman as his scar is being ripped. "Incredible!" Once the light dies down, a large shadow replaces Elfman and turns to Sol as his eyes are glowing purple. "O-oh my… That's…"
"A full body Take Over! Beast Soul!" Mirajane finishes and the Take Over Elfman roars out.