Chapter 78 – Garden of Turbulence
Last chapter's ending was rushed a little, but I was tired a little. Like I said, I thought the Garou Knights episodes were long, so I might as well try and make up for that with decent battles this chapter.
To Recap:
Day 5 began, with Master Mavis using a strategy that picked off many enemies consecutively. When it came time, Sophie confronted her cousin, Rufus. The two were at a clash of Magic and ideals, and Sophie managed to pull through after so long, defeating Rufus. Meanwhile, Nic's group managed to get Yukino out, only to have all of them enter the Hell Palace. Nic led the group to the exit, but saw an injured Arcadios and confronted the Garou Knight, secret executioners that were sent to kill them. Nic's group, due to coordination and number advantage, managed to hold them off well, but Natsu went overboard, and everyone was caught in a tempest.
Chapter 78 – Garden of Turbulence
Princess Hisui looked out her balcony window to spectate the Grand Magic Games, however, she seemed to have her attention directed to the conversation behind her, though the contents were grim, at least to her.
"Is that true?" One knight asked.
"Yeah, no mistaking it." Another said. "The Garou Knights have engaged Fairy Tail down below. The report is fresh, and they have engaged at…equal levels."
"What?!" Another knight gasped.
"But that's impossible! No one can keep up with them! They're the kingdom's strongest executioners!"
"But the report also states that Nic Pularis and Natsu Dragneel is down there."
"Those two?! M-Maybe they were just caught off guard. I'm sure they can handle it in the end."
"Well this is operation 1500 after all. No one has escaped the Garou Knights."
Hisui heard it all. Her plans were very complicated, and this wasn't part of any of them. She grimaced as she looked at the monitors overlooking the battles. 'My plans are backfiring. This isn't what I wanted.' She looked up to the birds passing over her castle tower. 'Arcadios, please be safe.'
Crevices were all over the area, the shockwaves from Natsu's blow scattered everything, and practically everyone. Rock and debris crumbled as it fell into a crevice, where large mounds of rubble were layered all over the wide hallway. On each side were thinking statues, overlooking what would be doom.
Natsu gasped for air as he popped out of the ground like a mole. "What happened?" He got to his feet and wiped the dust off. He rubbed the back of his head as he looked up, seeing as how he ended up beneath crevices. "Did I overdo it again? I hope everyone's alright." He looked down the long hall. "Hey! Are you guys there?!"
He got no reply. It just echoed down and nothing came back. A sudden shift in the rubble behind got his attention. He looked and saw large rock being thrown to the side. Nic emerged underneath, rising up and dusting himself off.
"Hey, Nic!" Natsu said in shock.
Nic looked over at Natsu, but the look he gave was what made Natsu swallow. Nic glared at him hard, showing how peeved he was with how Natsu's attack completely backfired. "You went overkill, again." He said irritably.
"Hey I can't help it!" Natsu argued. "I gotta punch teeth in or I'll really burn up!"
Nic looked away and down the other hallway. "Well I guess it can't be helped now. We just have to find everyone again…" His eyes narrowed. "After dealing with our company."
Natsu tilted his head to the side, not getting an understanding until the leader, Kama, emerged from the shadows. Nic was spot on, eyeing him as his scythes were still intact. Natsu looked at Kama and readied himself.
"It would seem your friend's destructive demeanor has scattered us all." Kama said, disregarding Natsu huffing. "No matter, even when apart, the Garou Knights are well experienced; no one in your group shall live to go home."
"That's what you think, pal." Natsu smirked, showing his absolute confidence. "But we don't give out fights just because. Sorry, but we gotta find Lucy and Yukino…but I suppose that ain't gonna fly until we smack you down, is that right?"
Nic took an adjusted stance, transforming into his Fist Plate Form. He readied himself for his adversary as Kama reached back and pulled out his scythes.
Kama stood away from them both. "Sins are what covers you."
Natsu blinked. "Uh, sorry pal, I don't remember doin' anything wrong…"
'I knew Natsu wasn't the best at recalling, but he doesn't even have morals on all of that?' Nic raised a brow in realization of Natsu's poor brainpower, which what made him grow despondent.
"For this brief time, you shall recall and look back to your past misdeeds." Kama said. "Both of you."
"I told you." Natsu argued. "I don't remember doin' anything wrong."
Makarov cringed and shivered as he felt something he really wished he didn't. That thought left him stiff and in despair.
"Master?" Levy asked.
"You okay?" Romeo asked.
Makarov coughed and calmed down to a point where he could settle down. "I'm fine. For some reason, I just remembered all of the letters I got for property damage." He said in nervous regret. "We just can't seem to control ourselves, and that always leads to an apology letter."
"Where's this coming from?" Bisca asked, nervously smiling. "Don't bring that up right here."
"You think Nic's group is alright?" Romeo asked.
"We hope so." Makarov said.
"We have to keep high spirits for their safe return." Mavis said. "If we win the games, the king shall have an audience with us…however, I doubt an apology letter will make up for last night's intentions."
Makarov's face twisted. "We never hear the end of it."
Mavis, too, despaired. "The guild's storehouse was nothing but letters of apology when I was around. Everything and every job accounted for…piles and piles, let alone towers of letters describing property damage, broken items, and repair costs were all that we ever got in the mail." She sulked further. "We couldn't control ourselves, and we just went wild, and the burden of Master really hammers down that way."
"Unfortunately…" Makarov and Mavis shared the same desperation in their sulking.
"Meow." Millianna peered from behind a wall, peeking over to see if anyone was around. She was in the clear, for now. "Awww, this stinks! I wish Kagura were here." She looked at a nearby monitor, seeing as how it showed Mermaid Heel being three players short, leaving Millianna and Kagura left.
She pouted in her insecurity. "This sucks. If I came across Laxus or someone from Fairy Tail, I'm not sure if I can…"
She stopped when rustling was heard from behind. She shifted her attention to the trash can behind, and the garbage fell out, revealing a street cat shaking its head.
"A KITTY-WITTY! MEO~~~W!" Millianna cheered in glee. Her tail wagged and she got on all fours. "Aw wook at you, you wittle pwecious thing! Oh yes you are! Yes you are!"
Overlooking from a nearby rooftop, Millianna was unaware of the eyes of a smirking 'Minerva'. Her smirk was malicious, and she had her sights set on Millianna.
To her, the manipulated will keep on being the puppets to another.
"Are both of you prepared? It is time for your death sentence." Kama ordered.
Nic's glare was fully set on Kama. "If you insist on us being criminals, then why are we not acting as such a claim? We're guild members. We don't cause intentional harm, only that is applied to the what the job says for us to do." Nic exemplified.
"Does not cover up for the crimes of which brought up down here." Kama said. He raised his scythes. "Now, face your judgement! Lose your heads!"
Nic and Natsu felt a wind pass them, and it was a swift one. Nic ducked while Natsu bent back as one scythe was swung horizontally. The second scythe was hurriedly swung again, aiming for the necks. Again, both dodged with critical precision. Kama swung around his scythes horizontally again, and Nic ducked. He saw the chance and dealt a Low Sweep, kicking Kama's knee and causing him to wince.
"Now!" Nic yelled.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!" Natsu jumped and attacked with an axe kick. The flame-infused assault was blocked by Kama's double scythes. Natsu grunted and back flipped off the scythes' edges and landed on the ground in a skid.
"Though shall not had another change-grrngh!" Kama grunted as he felt a small pain from his leg. "What is this confound injury…?" He gasped at the reality of it. He remembered when his scythes missed their mark, and Nic's Low Sweep got a hit in and made him lower than before. He stared in disarray. 'Curse this power of the Luminous!'
Nix rushed on ahead and his hand was engulfed in blue. "Mach Punch!" He became a blur and struck Kama right in his abdomen sending him crashing into the wall nearby, shattering it into small bits. The area rumbled and quaked, and Kama was caught underneath rubble.
"That should keep him down! Nice hit man!" Natsu said energetically.
Nic's stare was among the rubble before him. His head lowered just a little. "…no." He said otherwise.
"What do you mean 'no'?! You got him right in the-!"
Natsu was cut off when a pair of scythes spun like saucers and almost sliced him in two. He flipped and ducked when they came back like a boomerang and was caught by a lone glove raised above the rubble. The pair of scythes separated, and the rubble crumbled and revealed Kama, albeit fairly damaged.
He seemed to have a few cuts and scrapes from that last blow, but his stare was fiercer than ever. He was determined, despite the few cracked ribs he felt. "My patience with you was worn thin." He brought his scythes around. "Prepare for your punishment and pay for your sins!"
"You want us to pay so bad? How's about a tip: Stop yammering and keep brawling!" Natsu rebuffed.
"In order to reach the others, we'll take you down, no matter who or under what authority you are under!" Nic exclaimed. He and Natsu thus leaped into the fray and Kama jumped after them with scythes to swing.
Walking down a hall, two figures were side by side. They past a few skeletons here and there, but they were over that at this point. The area was crawling with them so much that it didn't bother them. Like Nic and Natsu, they also ended up in a strange hall.
"Mira? Lucy?" Wendy called out.
"Happy? Carla? Lily?" Vanessa called out.
Wendy looked uneasy. "It's no use. We got separated, and it seems we're far from the other."
"Their auras are too far apart for me to get a reading on them." Vanessa regrettably informed. "These walls are layered with a deadly aura that's making it hard for me to sense any living aura."
"Maybe it's because so many passed down here that it's like a foggy field, and this narrow space limits that. I can't sense their Magic either." Wendy said. "We'll have to reach open area."
"Beautiful…" A female voice called.
Wendy and Vanessa both turned to see their foe waiting in a carnivorous flower. Cosmos sat in her flower, arms raised overhead like she was stretching from a small nap.
"Mmm, was that a splendid entrance? I believe so." Her eyes opened and she had her sights set on Wendy and Vanessa. "Now, my lovelies, I'm afraid you'll have to wilt and die right here. Nothing personal."
"She can use Plant Magic." Vanessa reminded herself out loud.
"Yeah, nasty ones that eat people." Wendy said, clenching her small fists.
"We can't wait and hold on forever. She'll have us killed." Vanessa remarked as her hands were engulfed in teal aura. "We have to defeat her and meet up with everyone else!" Her hands converged with the teal aura expanding. "Wendy!"
The Sky Dragon Slayer nodded. "I got it! Let's go!"
Both girls charged after Cosmos as her Plant Magic activated by the snap of her fingers. Giant, rugged vines erupted and slithered up overhead and arched down onto the girls. Cosmos smirked as the girls dodged with no hesitation in their movements, and Vanessa swiped her arm, sending a wave of aura that destroyed the roots that assaulted them. With them out of the way, she pivoted and aimed both palms out.
"Emanation Beam!" She blasted incoming roots again, breaking them apart and hitting the ground like swatted lies.
Wendy jumped and dodged a whip-like root and whirlwinds collected in her hands. "Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!" She lashed whip-like whirlwinds that attacked Cosmos.
The Plant Mage snapped her fingers again, and a wall of swirled roots acted as a wall that barricaded the lashing winds; however, the wall was severely damaged when large chunks were sliced off and past Cosmos, but she remained calm as the flower beneath her retreated back into the earth and she stood on her two feet.
Her eyes widened a little when slashing and teal glints were heard. Cosmos backed away when the wall was sliced by Vanessa's aura shaping into a small blade and she let out a battle cry as she went to attack Cosmos.
"Hyah!" She slashed at Cosmos and pushed her back a few feet. Cosmos's smirk faded, and Vanessa's aura became orb-like again around her arms.
"You beauties got a lot of spirit, I like that." Cosmos said. "So what do they call you two?"
"Wendy Marvell."
"Vanessa Pularis."
"Wendy. Vanessa." Cosmos repeated. "What beautiful names. I think I'll remember them, along with those faces."
She raised her arms, and trees began to sprout rapidly around them, much like a forest. Wendy and Vanessa both remained on guard as the trees may have hid something, but there was a twist. Popping up from the branches, dried plums began sprouting, much to Wendy's horror, and yet to an intrigued Vanessa. The branches were red with dried plums, and the site was either curious-piquing or horrific.
"D-dried plums?" Wendy grimaced.
Cosmos sat atop of a tree branch and smirked down at her prey. "Wish so, but no. They're magical fruit, so get your fill you two."
She swiped her arm and reached down, commanding the projectiles to be shot at Wendy and Vanessa like bullets. The red bullets rained down and Wendy screamed as she ran away from the sour food while Vanessa held her ground and used her Aura Guard as a shield, making the red fruit bounced off like flies on a windowsill.
Cosmos plucked a dried fruit and held it close. "Oh? Someone's a sour hater."
Vanessa lifted up her shield, looking more calm compared to Wendy, who looked sick from looking at the sour food. Vanessa seemed piqued than appalled. "That's just Wendy." She corrected. "I, however, don't mind." She grinned placidly. "I actually eat lemons all the time."
Wendy screamed and flailed as she knew how viciously sour lemons were, and she wouldn't be able to take it.
Cosmos was a different story. She gasped at the shock of the news.
"Lemons?!" Cosmos shrieked. "That's even sour than dried plums! I'm in the presence of a noble beauty who can look into sourness in its eyes, and then eat it." She put a hand over her heart. "I never had a lemon, and because of the beauty before me, I think I'll relish in a taste of one after I execute her."
"That's a stretch you're making." Vanessa kept her confident grin. "Though I do thank you for your praise of my tastes in sour." She reached back behind her, making Cosmos frown at what Vanessa was gonna do. She saw the black-haired, single blonde bang girl pull out an expanded Poke Ball. "But I don't have the time to relish in flavors with someone like you. We have somewhere to be right now, and if you get in our way, we'll smite you down!" She threw her Poke Ball into the air. "Go, Venusaur!"
The Poke Ball opened up, and a blueish-white energy went to the ground, turning into Venusaur. The overgrown plant-like creature opened his mouth and let out a rippling roar, sending waves of dust around.
"A plant creature?" Cosmos questioned.
Venusaur looked ready for battle. "Let's show them, Vanessa. Let's trim her garden."
"Right." Vanessa nodded. She extended her arm forward. "Venusaur, Razor Leaf!"
Venusaur's huge leaves on his sides raised slightly, and he let loose sharp leaves that funneled after Cosmos. The attack missed when Cosmos jumped and dodged, although it did shred up and cut the branches around off. They fell to the ground while Cosmos landed daintily. Venusaur attacked again with Razor Leaf, the slicing funnel heading towards Cosmos once more.
She waved her arms overhead. "Flytrap Shot!" Flytraps grew over her head and they opened up, firing seeds to meet the Razor Leaf head on. An explosion erupted in the middle, cancelling out both attacks. Cosmos sneered. "Using plants turned against me, how ugly-!"
She turned around when she felt a presence behind her. She saw Wendy in the corner of her eye with winds whirling in her fist. "Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!" She slashed at Cosmos, driving her back several feet.
Cosmos managed to catch herself using her Magic, where a flower sprouted behind and bloomed to make a bubbly, bouncy center that acted as a cushion. The flower closed, and she extended her arm out. "Flytrap Shot!" She didn't hesitate and used the same attack with more firepower. Seeds were fired like bullets and Wendy was bombarded. She screamed and slammed into the ground, ascertaining a few painful scrapes.
"Wendy!" Vanessa shouted. She looked back and saw Cosmos firing more after Wendy as she was already down. Vanessa hurried and used her Aura Magic and a solid teal line stretched out quickly. The aura grabbed Wendy's waist and Vanessa pulled back, hauling Wendy in time to evade the explosive seeds. She had her aura vanish when Wendy's feet touched the ground. "Are you okay?"
Wendy nodded. "Yeah, thanks for the save."
Vanessa turned towards Venusaur, who faced Cosmos. "Venusaur, Razor Leaf!"
Venusaur fired his attack once more, sending funneling leaves at Cosmos. The attack struck the ground where Cosmos stood, sending the pink-haired woman flying off again. She fell on her back with a powerful thud, grunting from the pain taken.
"Alright!" Wendy and Vanessa cheered.
Venusaur stepped forward a few paces, gaining ground against his foe. "Look, Cosmos, was it?" He asked. "We do not have any ill-will nor quarrel with you. We merely want to find our comrades and get out. I ask you this once, is your heart really a wilted flower? If you wish for beauty, you have to follow what you preach. Show us the compassion that lies dormant in your heart, and make it a beautiful flower. Will you prove that to us?"
Cosmos got up, a dark shadow over her eyes. "…" She seemed to be settling the matter mentally, but she heard Venusaur's negotiable reasoning. She's always followed her principles on beauty, and here she is, belittle by a plant beast.
A moment of silence followed as Cosmos's stare was on Venusaur. Venusaur returned the determined stare. He suddenly got caught with his feet tangled up in roots that sprouted beneath. He was lifted up, despite his hulking weight.
"Venusaur!" Vanessa yelled in worry.
"Don't tell me what I know." Cosmos belittled. "I know beauty, as my plants are always the most precious and beautiful of my work. But you…you're ugly. You're nothing but an ugly plant, raised without a sweet beautiful drive!" The plants she controlled responded to her by reeling back and flinging Venusaur over Vanessa's head, slamming into a rock and shattering it. Her attention was now on Vanessa and Wendy. "And now these two lovelies must pay!"
The magical fruit from before sprouted rapidly once more and fired like bullets at Wendy and Vanessa. The two were caught surprised and were bombarded again. Both screamed and slid back and thudded against the ground. Cosmos didn't hesitate a single second as she used two fingers and gestured them up, creating roots beneath that coiled around the two girls' waists and hauled them up.
Venusaur shook off the rubble and saw his trainer in trouble. "Vanessa! Wendy-GAH!"
He was struck underneath by a sprouting flytrap. Venusaur yelled as he was sent soaring and crashed to the ground in a harsh skid to boot. He grunted in pain, but he never got a counter in before the giant flytrap's mouth opened up and fired a rapid succession of seeds at him. The seeds exploded upon impact and Venusaur stepped back a foot as he didn't have much room to counter.
Cosmos chuckled at the struggling site. "Oh you poor beauties." She said, giggling as Vanessa and Wendy couldn't break free. "You both deserve a much more blissful death. I'll sure to be kind my sweeties~."
Large, purple buds sprouted from the rock beneath, popping up from all over. They had a very powerful and pungent aroma to them, and Vanessa wasn't looking too good as she felt a foul, aromatic aura arise.
"Let these spores open up, putting you both in a peaceful slumber." Her smirk grew wider. "Makura Kamura."
Her spell made the plants eject a Stun Spore-looking powder into the air. The spores spread like wildfire and the whole area was nothing but a cloud of orange. Vanessa and Wendy both felt their eyes getting heavy. They're eyes closed at last, and they seemed to have drifted into a slumber, for eternity.
Giggling with glee, Cosmos turned away. "Sweet dreams, my lovelies…"
A sudden blast of teal aura caused her to get attention, and she turned her back and dodged the teal beam that shattered a rock. Cosmos got to her feet and looked back in shock.
"What?! Impossible!" She shouted. "How did…?"
She saw Vanessa and Wendy having energy surrounding them. Vanessa's was teal, as to where Wendy's was light green. Both had their eyes open up as they looked at Cosmos with determined looks.
"Anormaly Resistance Enchant: Re-raise!" Wendy said.
"And my aura layers my body, keeping me spared as well." Vanessa announced. "Your attack had no effect on us."
"I-impossible!" Cosmos said in her shock. "You should be asleep forever!" She looked over beyond them as Venusaur used his Razor Leaf and knocked down the plant by its stem, stopping the assault that only left him a little agitated. His attention drew towards her as the flytrap hit the ground. "And how is he unaffected?!"
Vanessa had a calm look, despite still coiled by the waist. "Venusaur is a Grass and Poison-Type, meaning nay and all powder moves have no effect on him. Since he also has that Type combination, your attacks don't even leave a scratch on him." Venusaur walked up to her side, his height towering overhead. "And you never like him when he's agitated."
Venusaur let out a roar that made a tremor on the ground. Cosmos looked anxious as Venusaur stepped forward, each footstep making the ground shake.
Wendy looked at Vanessa. "You got a plan?"
Vanessa nodded. "Yeah, and I know how to handle her." Her right arm was raised, with the armband being shown. Embedded in the armband was something Wendy completely forgot about. In there was a Key Stone, which glinted.
Wendy gasped.
"Since we're immobile at the moment, Venusaur can handle her. Talk of peace is over, let's show them never to mess with the Pularis siblings, Venusaur!"
"Ready!" Venusaur declared.
There was an energy shift in the air, one that felt completely natural. Unlike Nic's Charizard's energy that nearly made the temperature rise from the exertion of heat, Venusaur's energy was more lush like a jungle. Vanessa's Key Stone was radiating a lot of rainbow glints that made it shine with valor. Using her left fingers, she tapped the Key Stone and light waves shot out, flailing violently all around.
"What's this?" Cosmos interjected.
Wendy's eyes widened. "Hang on, isn't that…?"
Vanessa raised her right arm up. "Venusaur, Mega Evolve!"
Venusaur let out a roar as he emanated light blue light waves of his own. The light waves reached out and connected with Vanessa's Key Stone's light waves. The two connected, and a bright light trailed from the Key Stone that traveled down the connected lines and reached Venusaur. Venusaur thus gave off a bizarre light that was for Mega Evolution.
Everyone watched as flowers bloomed on the front and back. The trunk of the massive flower became thicker, and heaping amounts of foliage was seen blooming on his back. Everyone watched in awe, and then they covered up as the light exploded, sending strong shockwaves from Mega Venusaur's roar. The shockwaves were so powerful that Cosmos had to step back and all of the girls' hair shifted in the winds that soon dialed down.
Mega Venusaur was different, as the flower on his back grew larger and two smaller pink flowers bloomed, one on his forehead and one on the rear. The weight of the flower made his legs sturdier in order to support it, a such they look slightly bulkier. Additional leaves with woody stems, which were supported by vines, grew around the flower. Mega Venusaur also developed dark markings on the forehead below the new flower.
"Mega…Venusaur!" Wendy said in shock.
Vanessa smiled. "Mega Venusaur, let's do this."
Mega Venusaur nodded back to her and looked forward. With a solemn stomp with his right front foot, the roots incapacitating Vanessa and Wendy began to vibrate. Out of sheer disbelief, Cosmos stepped back and nearly fell backwards, watching as the roots retreated when it wasn't her doing.
"No! This vile thing has manipulation of nature?!" Cosmos berated.
Vanessa smirked. "Mega Venusaur is full of lush life, and now we turn it against you! Go, Grass Knot!"
Mega Venusaur's eyes glowed bright green. Out from the ground around Cosmos, light green roots sprouted and gathered at her feet. "What's happening?!" She shouted. The Grass Knot tangled up her feet, and the roots began to twist and grow up. "I can't control it-!" Cosmos screamed as she was slammed down viciously by Grass Knot. The ground broke beneath her slam and she was in a crater.
Grass Knot retreated and Mega Venusaur didn't budge. He was completely overpowering her plant manipulation, as he himself wasn't moved by her Magic. Cosmos was completely at Mega Venusaur's mercy, but she never stopped.
"HRAH!" Cosmos swiped her arms in opposite arcs. "Spore Bomb: Rinka Renka!" Spores appeared all around her and fired at Mega Venusaur rapidly. The attack closed in and exploded upon impact, creating a rupture of white amongst them.
The smoke cleared, and Mega Venusaur was seen with a neutral grin. "That felt like rain to me."
Cosmos stepped back again. "Hardly any damage, again?!" She made haste and fired her attack again, sending what looked like a multi-directional spore attack that was all around Venusaur. "Try stopping this!"
"Razor Leaf!" Vanessa commanded. Mega Venusaur followed her orders and his jungle-like leaves on his back flapped, sending a storm of funneling leaves all around. The sharp leaves were like green glints that passed through every spore that went his way. All of the spores – every single one – exploded in place, leaving Mega Venusaur unhindered and still ripe with energy. Enraged, Cosmos grew several flytraps all around Mega Venusaur, and readied to open fire once again.
Vanessa's eyes were sharp like a calculated warrior. "Grass Knot!"
Mega Venusaur's eyes glowed bright green. "Silence your traps!" He exclaimed. The roots he made reached up as the flytraps all opened up to assault him. As they were about to fire, the Grass Knot roots all tangled and held shut the mouths. The flytraps began to expand with the seeds nowhere to go, resulting in them getting exploded instead. The Grass Knot roots all retreated back into the ground, and Mega Venusaur stepped forward once more.
"This is your last chance to make a surrender." He warned her.
Cosmos looked enraged. "Your nothing but true ugliness, you and those two sweeties! I can never love you all!"
"Who says anything about love?" Wendy asked.
"I'm not sure what her game is…" Vanessa awkwardly noted. She then swiped her arm in an arc. "But this ends now! Mega Venusaur, Toxic!"
Mega Venusaur aimed the center of his flower at Cosmos and fired a stream of purple liquid. The attack fired with deadly accuracy like a spear. Cosmos was struck by the purple liquid with no defense left. She grunted in agony as a small purple haze surrounded her and made her stumble back. Cosmos was purple in the face, and toxic bubbles erupted from her.
She held back what was a gag from the tainted venom in her veins. "Gnnngh! What is this? Poison?"
"Don't worry, it won't kill you." Vanessa said. "But this will hurt a lot! Mega Venusaur…"
"Venoshock!" He finished. Mega Venusaur's flower center glowed and he fired what was a strong volume of purple liquid that blasted away with a thick density to it. The Venoshock went on ahead, overcoming and blasting through the plants Cosmos arose through her condition. The plants were all penetrated and Cosmos screamed in riling agony as Venoshock's intensity was doubled to a highlighted degree.
Cosmos crashed through so many walls at once, leaving them all to crumble.
Vanessa and Wendy turned towards the other, smiling and giving high fives.
"Alright, we did it!" Wendy cheered.
"Yes, we sure did." Vanessa said happily. She smiled at Mega Venusaur. "Thanks for pulling through, Mega Venusaur.
Mega Venusaur looked ahead and was engulfed in a rainbow light. The light veiled him briefly and reverted back to being Venusaur. He smiled with satisfaction. "Yeah, that wasn't as shabby as I thought it'd be."
At the same time…
Nic and Natsu both landed on the ground twenty feet away from Kama. Their adversary looked unappeased as he was huffing, with his gauntlets and masked cracked but a little. Nic was packing a major wallop, enough to nearly break his armor in but a few punches and kicks. Still the three were on their toes.
"You two can run from the sins you've committed, but you can never escape them!" Kama pointed his scythes' backs at Natsu and Nic, putting the hands on them facing the two. "Your sins are what you are, who you are, and are in your soul!"
The hands on the scythes were emitting a purple light, and Natsu and Nic both saw their bodies reacting to the light. Natsu's body was layered in light purple handprints, as to where Nic only have two or three compared to Natsu's multitude of handprints.
"Hey, what the heck are these?!" Natsu demanded.
"They are your sins." Kama answered. "Does your hearts not ache from your destruction, or your insubordination above others? Do you feel the guilt pile on?" He asked.
"Huh?" Natsu looked in question. "So wait, you're saying that all those jobs I'm on and when I crumble buildings and piss off the Council…those were all the wrong things to do?"
"Yes, you idiot!" Kama yelled.
"What? No way!" Natsu said in sheer disbelief.
Kama's eyes twitched. "Such dense logic."
"I know how you feel." Nic pinched the bridge of his nose at the thought of Natsu's endless explosive demeanor. "We have to deal with this almost every day. If I were honest with myself, it's a real sore."
"And yet you hold no guilt for your actions?" Kama interjected.
Nic looked at him dead in the eye, the fire in his gaze showing just how absolute he was. "I'd dare stare anyone in the face. I've quarreled with numerous people, and I never once regretted doing such a thing." He said. "I dare threaten the Council, because I have a mission, and if they hold me down, if anyone gets in my way, they shall have more than hell to pay for their faults."
Kama stepped back, hauling his scythes forward. "You're a rebel of all that you seem fit on purpose?! I shall behead you from where you stand!" He reached out and the scythes levitated. The two hands joined up and the scythes spun in unison, making a saucer. "Guillotine Justice!"
The saucer went at Nic. Nic, in return, glowed and shifted into his Iron Plate Form. As the saucer made way, he put his arms up to block.
"Iron Defense!" Nic shouted. His body gave a fast glint before his body became iron. The saucer struck him, but the assault grinded against his arms, creating sparks that flared. The saucer deflected itself and shot back into the air, and came around after Nic again. However, the saucer's attempts failed yet again.
Natsu looked pumped. "Alright, now I get a clear shot!" He puffed his cheeks and shot fire at Kama. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"
The blast of fire went after an open Kama, but the recipient wasn't even fazed. His eyes narrowed as a handprint glowed on Natsu. The saucer attacking Nic stopped and went around and went right in front of Kama. The saucer sliced straight through the fire, startling Natsu as he was forced to dodge the blades.
Natsu looked behind him. "That was a close one!" The handprint on another part of his body flashed. "What the-?!"
He saw the saucer coming around and jumped to dodge again. He got back on his feet and another part of him flashed. The saucer came back around, following him.
"My attack shall not miss. It shall follow you and your sins until you have repented by means of death!" Kama explained.
"Aw man, this sucks!" Natsu dodged the saucer again and looked at Nic. "Hey Nic, use a move or something, would ya?!" He then dodged another assault by the scythe.
Nic nodded. "Understood." He glowed, shifting from the Iron Plate to his Dread Plate Form. He aimed both palms out at Kama as his scythes were honed in on Natsu. "Now, Embargo!"
Illusionary chains shot out of Nic's open palms and the chins wrapped around Kama, although they seemed surprisingly loose for chains meant to confine him. He looked down to see his body in a loose band of chains that slowly vanished.
"What's this?" He questioned. He caused note of how his saucer began to slow down, slowly stopping and becoming two individual scythes again. They fell to the ground, clanging and leaving Natsu free with a smirk. "How can this be?!"
"Embargo prevents any of your items to be used by any means, rendering inly yourself as the tool." Nic said. "You should've surrendered when you had the chance! Now!"
"I hear ya!" Natsu rushed forward, head first. "Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!"
Kama shuddered as his weaponry wasn't responding. 'How can this be? They both have so much power-!' He gagged as Natsu rammed into him and he went flipping and soaring. Kama fell to the earth with a thud, but he landed on his knees with more pain to feel.
"So how was that?" Natsu asked proudly as he walked ahead with Nic by his side.
"Damn you both. You are truly enemies of the kingdom-no! The entire continent of Ishgar!" Kama declared.
Natsu's fist was cloaked in fire. "You know what, we don't give a damn. It's an even bigger mistake to become an enemy of Fairy Tail." Natsu announced.
"Never shall we fall to people to try and put us in our place, because not only I, but this guild…" Nic lunged ahead, black static engulfing his right arm to ready Knock Off.
"WE NEVER STAY DOWN!" They both shouted, Fire Dragon's Iron Fist and Knock Off pummeling Kama at once.
Kama spun and smashed through the wall, breaking it apart. He blasted through another wall, and then another, until he reached a hallway where all five members of the Garou Knights joined up from their thrashings and crashed head first into one another, knocking them all out at once.
Natsu and Nic, now reverted back to himself, stepped out of the tunnel made from Kama and noticed four other holes were present, with everyone else joined up.
"Nice." Lily commented.
"Hey everyone!" Mira cheerfully greeted after defeating Kamika.
"Natsu!" Happy cheered.
Vanessa and Wendy appeared out the hole Cosmos made, surprised that everyone joined up with them.
"Never saw this coming." Vanessa admitted.
"We're all here, thank goodness." Lucy said, with Yukino nodding in agreement. Along with them, Loke was carrying a wounded Arcadios with a wave to Nic.
"Hey man." He greeted Nic.
"Loke? What a surprise." Nic said.
"We'll fill in when we're back on track, right?" Mira asked, getting the group to focus.
Everyone nodded in agreement and left the Garou Knights out like a light. Nic shifted into his Earth Plate Form and repeated the foot stomp. Invisible waves went around the whole Hell Palace again, rippling and acting as radar. Nic thus led them out and through the hall, on towards the exit and away from the mayhem that was committed.
The crowd was going nuts as Sophie had given Fairy Tail an even bigger lead with 51points. They all expected a great fight between the two, but this exceeded their expectations by a mile. "Well folks, I never saw something like this to arise!" Chapati Lola announced. "Fairy Tail leads by 51 points, with Sabertooth and Lamia Scale tied with 49 points!"
"And with Mermaid Heel with 43 point, they need to step up their game." Yajima added.
"This aren't looking good guys." Arana said.
Risley, however, kept a smirk. "Naw, quit your worrying. Don't forget that we got Kagura out there, and Millianna ain't no scaredy cat neither. Those two will come through somehow." She had no qualms with expressing her securities.
Beth wasn't as convinced. "I know…it's just that I got a bad feelin', worse than corn stuck ma' teeth."
Arana looked towards her. "What's wrong?"
"Well…" Beth started explaining. "I've been watchin' them monitors, but we haven't seen Millianna in a long time. I'm worried somethin' might have happened to her."
Risley, once again, showed no worry. "Naw, I'm sure Millianna's got a sweet hiding spot. They'll never catch her so easily.
Beth looked up with worry unable to fade. "I hope you're right…"
A guard ran down the hall towards Hisui's corridors. His pacing was swift like a steed charging, urgently opening the door. "Princess! Princess!" He barged open the door, huffing to catch his breath, meeting the other knights present. "Everyone, I bring bad news!"
"Calm down and tell us. What happened?" Another guard asked.
"Okay, well we haven't received any updates, so we sent a squad to investigate Hell Palace…" He paused. "It turns out the Garou Knights were all defeated!"
Looking away and out the window, Hisui gasped.
"What?! But that's impossible!" A knight retorted. "The greatest executioners were defeated by that small Fairy Tail group?!"
"And of the prisoners?" Another knight asked.
"I'm afraid they've escaped."
Hisui broke into a small grin, secret satisfaction written upon her face. 'I knew it. Thank you.'
"I wouldn't celebrate if I were you, Princess." A foreign voice said.
Hisui gasped again and jerked up. "It can't be…" She turned around to find her culprit, standing at the entrance with a scruffy scowl on his face. "Darton!"
Darton past all the knights in the room. "Your plan was too clear to not see. At least now my suspicions are confirmed."
Hisui held up a glove. "I won't tolerate this abuse! Less I remind you that it was you who sent Arcadios to Hell Palace without a trial!" She recalled in despair.
Darton's eyes narrowed with distaste. "Which is why you 'sentenced' Fairy Tail to rescue him. You were behind this whole charade from the very beginning, am I right?"
When he saw Hisui gasped a third time, he was right once again. The knights in the room looked at Hisui with slight shock from this revelation that transpired.
He walked and looked out the same window Hisui was looking through. "Arcadios was willing to play the role as villain to divert any ill-will towards himself to keep suspicion from you." His eyes diverted to her. "Princess, I'm right, and you know that." He turned to face her, and his tone escalated as the jade-haired woman looked away. "I implore you! You must understand what's at risk here! Changing the past can very well spell our fates wrapped in doom!"
There was a very long stare off with the two, at wit's end with the other. It was clear that whatever they thought was the opposite. Nobody was gonna divert any attention away from them as they showed opposition to the other. Whatever Hisui had to back up her side, she was gonna to use.
Time for her trump card.
She looked at Domus Flau, seeing birds fly overhead in a unison flock. "Listen…I know you are right, but I cannot agree. It may be our only hope."
"Huh?" Darton looked suspicious.
"I'd swore I'd never tell anyone, but it's come to this. There is another plan…Eclipse 2." She paused as her hair shifted. "Eclipse 2, it is the true purpose of the operation."
Darton's eyes widened in shock.
"And if this is to fail…tomorrow…there won't be a tomorrow."
Gray walked through the streets, looking around for what may be a foe that was put into Mavis's calculations. 'So First Master said that there should be someone here, right?' He looked around among the open streets and didn't see anyone. His eyes cascaded up. 'Maybe, an ambush…'
Chelia jumped from above, catching Gray's attention. "Crap!"
"Sky God's Boreas!" Black whirlwinds lashed from her arms, whipping and passing Gray as he covered up from the attack. The Ice-Make Mage slid back and kept his hold on the ground.
He uncovered and looked up at Chelia above. "Should've known someone from Lyon's guild would be here."
Chelia smirked. "So you're Lyon's rival. He's gonna be happy when I beat you!" She said.
Gray put his hands together to make ice, grinning. "Oh yeah, I'd like to see you try. I still got a bone to pick with him myself." He put his hands out. "Ice-Make: Lance!"
Gray's ice lances fired at Chelia, where she puffed her cheeks and kept footing from atop of a flat roof. "Sky God's Bellow!"
Both attacks met in the middle, ice colliding with dark winds and making a burst of energy that sent cold air all around, making Gray and Chelia to shield from the shockwave.
As Gray dueled against her, Master Mavis looked at the monitor with a nod. "Yes, just as I had calculated. Gray and Chelia will confront one another, and as those two battle, this will be Erza's chance to trail around and then…" She smirked with sheer confidence. "Battle Minerva and take the big points!"
"Okay, that's just too confident right there!" Bickslow and Evergreen backlashed.
"First Master, if I'm not mistaken, this Minerva woman, she's the one who fought Nic in the Naval Battle, right?" Freed asked. "And if memory serves, I believe those two have an understanding history."
Makarov nodded. "Yes, and although she may be lighthearted compared to Sabertooth, she has the strongest Magic of her guild. Her power is undeniably massive, enough to tie with Nic back then."
"She's seriously scary in battle." Bickslow said.
"I'm sure it's nothing Titania can't handle." Evergreen scoffed.
Erza was then seen next, she stood on a high courtyard of a building with trees as the perimeter. She stood ready as her hair, which was a ponytail that went down from a bud.
'According to First Master, I should encounter Minerva right about here…' As her hair was picked up by another breeze, her mind seemed to drift. 'Nic's group is taking a long time. I hope he's-!' A shift in the air was heard. She turned around to find something lunging at her with blinding speed. To her shock, it was…
"Here comes KAGURA!" Lola yelled, his excitement making the crowd go nuts as the ultimate swordswomen showdown was to unfold.
Mavis's eyes widened. "…what?"
Erza requipped two katana as Kagura went to attack her. 'The First Master was wrong?'
Kagura's sheathed sword clashed with Erza's katana, the two slashed and clashed once more, and then it turned into a blinding parry of the other. Their swords moved so fast and clashed and parried that no one could keep up. They struck and slashed, and the fire in their eyes never faltered as they saw the other as enemies they must deal with.
Both blocked each other again and scooted away. Erza glared harshly. 'Her skill…'
'Show me what you have to offer, Titania.' Kagura thought.
Makarov looked at the lacrima-vision with surprise. He was just as shocked as Mavis was, though not as mortified. "Kagura? First Master, this can't be, a miscalculation?! I could've sworn she was gonna face Minerva, right?"
Mavis looked with sullen eyes. "No…I made an error…how could I…" She sniffled.
All of Fairy Tail looked shocked as Mavis was starting to cry. Makarov waved his hands vigorously. "Guuuh! D-don't cray! T-these things happen!" He assured.
Mavis sniffled again. "No…I'm not gonna cry…I'm not gonna…cry…waaaah!" She let out.
"Aw, dammit!" Makarov shrieked.
While that happened, Erza and Kagura were parrying, dodging, and swiftly countering, not a single fault in their movements. They slashed with deadly accuracy, and yet not one was a direct hit, but was parried again. Backflips and twists were implied to dodge. Both woman clashed blades once more, their fiery eyes meeting.
'Even her sheathed sword is deadly.' Erza thought, being cautious.
"This is the ultimate swordswoman showdown!" Lola cheered, spinning in his seat. "This is what we've been waiting for!"
"This should be interesting." Yajima said.
The two woman were trying to overpower the other, but they both suddenly stopped when a blue-green blob of spatial energy emerged in between them.
'What's this?!' They thought in unison.
To all that were watching, they saw two arms reached out from the blob and grab their faces. Minerva emerged upside down with a smirk on her face and twisted her body, throwing both Erza and Kagura to the ground, leaving all spectators gaping their mouths.
"What just happened?!" Lola announced. "Minerva came literally out of nowhere!"
"Mind if I play a little?" Minerva asked.
Mavis shuddered, her tears looking dried up, but she was still upset from her miscalculations and her plans falling apart. "N-no." She whimpered. "My plans are nothing now…"
"This has become more than just one-on-one! This is now a three-way free for all! The three strongest women are about to go head to head with one another. The question is, who will win?!" Lola wondered.
Erza looked at Minerva, seeing a sinister smirk on her face. What she felt was a shift in her Magic Power. She felt an immense level before on Day 4, but this was different. It was darker, and that was what got her nerves on edge. Still, this was a battle, and she was to win.
"No matter who I'm up against, friend or foe, I will win." She declared.
Kagura looked towards Erza. 'This makes no sense. I can't read her. From what Millianna had told me, she underwent great pain at the hands of Jellal. Why is she protecting him?'
"My guild's image has been tarnished by Mermaid Heel, and Fairy Tail. Two guilds that I find an obligation to crush beneath me." Minerva was giving off a purple aura, showing off her Magic Power. "And so eliminating you both will make it clear Sabertooth feasts on the weak."
'That's not like Minerva at all.' Erza recalled, meeting Minerva as she wasn't remotely arrogant. And this Magic Power's darkness was growing stronger by the minute. 'Whatever's going on, I have to put an end to it.' "You're quite ambitious. I didn't know you cared about your guild since your Master is a scoundrel." Erza challenged, her aura becoming red.
Kagura's became blue. "Enough talk, I do not express as much words as I need to show you my power."
The audience watching wasn't even sitting down. Sugar rushed through their veins as they were riled up from the three-woman show that'll throw down. What kept them uneasy, however, was the Magic Power they were feeling. The Magic was so immense that the waves of intensity was reaching out to them. The most affected, however, was Mavis, as her eyes were wide.
The look on her face left Makarov on his heels. "What is it, First Master?"
Mavis's stare was to Minerva on the monitor. "That woman, I sense a corrosive evil lurking within her. A power that I never encountered." Her eyes narrowed. "All I know now is…whatever happened to Minerva, this isn't her."
Everyone's shock diverted back to the screen, watching the three women lunge at the other simultaneously.
Two swords and a sphere collided with another. There was a flash and the whole rooftop exploded from the three impacts at once, sending a cloud of dust and all three women away briefly. When it all cleared, Erza, Kagura, and Minerva all rushed at the other again. Kagura slashed at Erza, but the redhead jumped overhead and used the left hand sword and attacked Minerva overhead, but she blocked it and socked Erza with a right hook infused with Territory. Minerva, however, was kicked by Kagura in a flash.
Erza slid back from her attack and lunged forward at Kagura. Without hesitation, she kicked Kagura so hard that she blasted off the ceiling. Erza jumped off and went after her again, but a fast glint revealed Kagura landing on her knees, her sword still sheathed as Erza yelled and slammed into the ground harshly. Kagura was then left open when Minerva blasted her with her Magic, engulfing Kagura in a spatial explosion.
Minerva looked behind to see Erza jumping to attack. "Victory is mi-GAH!" Minerva was cut off when a pommel from Kagura's sword struck her ribs, sending her flying back. Erza continued her fall and landed a kick to Kagura's face and planting her feet to the ground.
While on the ground, Minerva took her left two fingers and touched her right palm with them. "Hold it right there!"
Orbs encased Erza and Kagura alike, making them both over in the air.
The confused women could only question the limited time they have as Minerva was gathering up an incredible Magic Power, so much that the ground rumbled and spatial energy swirled with her intricate arm movements. Light blossomed beneath her.
She began an incantation. "Niel Wielg Mion Terse Elcantaeus."
"What she saying?" Bickslow wondered.
"Some form of incantation." Freed explained. "But I don't know what it is."
Mavis's eyes widened and shook as she got another look at Minerva's Magic. "No…that's…one the now-extinct Yakuma Eighteen War Gods Magic! How does she have that?!"
"Yagdo Rogora!"
A massive god-like man with intricate battle markings on his body erupted, giving a violent and overpowering presence. Erza, Kagura, and Minerva were all enveloped in a beam of light that was so superb that it obliterated the entire structure they stood upon. The light beamed into the sky high above, reaching massive heights and sending shockwaves into the sky. The nearby sea had waves from the shockwaves.
The light faded, but the audience, Lola, Yajima, and Mato all had the same shocked expression. Every single one of their mouths were gaping and hung open from the raw power.
The dust settled, nad Minerva stood on a higher level of debris compared to Erza and Kagura, who had but a few scrapes and torn clothing from that attack. Minerva maliciously smirked as the two woman were seen standing and unhindered.
"OH MY GOODNESS!" Lola yelled in shock. "Erza and Minerva are still standing after that devastating attack! How can they still be standing?!"
Makarov put a hand over his heart. "That one made me skip a beat."
"I can't believe that kind of Magic exists." Freed said. "It's even more shocking that their Magic Power cancelled out."
Minerva chuckled at Erza and Kagura. "Well, well. This is a surprise. Milady's Magic is excruciating. I can feel her power course through her veins. I wonder why she never threatens people that often?" She wondered.
Erza's eyes narrowed. "Now I know for certain, you're not yourself, Minerva."
Minerva's eyes showed a curiosity. "Oh?"
"Your Magic Power is darker than before. So ask me this, who are you really?" Erza demanded.
Minerva's face darkened. "Whatever do you mean?" She asked factitiously. "This is my true power." Erza's stare was too serious to fool, and Minerva saw that. "…although given your history and affiliation with Luminous, I guess I can let a hint or two out."
Erza and Kagura's eyes narrowed.
"If you really wanna know about Milady and who she is, all you have to do is follow my rules." Minerva said.
"Rules?" Kagura asked.
"I see now that going against you both at the same time is rather reckless. I thought she could destroy you and step on your corpses, but it seems that I was wrong. So much for a secured victory." Spatial energy encompassed Minerva's hands as her fur-lined scarf dropped into the rubble. "You wanna know my rules, but your queen must introduce you to the game. Observe."
A large, green orb appeared behind Minerva, and being shown inside was a woman. The woman being shown had a few bloody marks, showing that she was tortured and put through sadistic pain. Her belly and arms had several scrapes and she looked in searing agony.
Lola looked horrified. "You see this?"
Yajima's eyes were wide. "Yes…"
The audience looked in fright as the orb showed someone that made Erza and Kagura gasp in sheer shock.
"Millianna!" They shrieked.
Minerva's smirk intensified. "I found this stray kitten."
"How could she stoop so low?!" Arana yelled.
"I told you something was up!" Beth exclaimed.
"Why would she do such a thing?!" Risley growled.
"The sphere she's in constantly drains her Magic Power. It's a little parasitic trick that I forgot Milady can use. I personally love it. I can get used to doing this." Minerva tormented.
Erza looked at Millianna in great pain. When she saw her, she saw the little girl that was from long ago, who she saw but 8 years later, who was now a young woman. And as of recently they met up again with smiles…seeing her in slavery pain made her come to a realization.
"She's taken her hostage." Erza said.
"I said it before. I am the queen, and you are the pawns. Don't bother surrendering, I want to see some entertainment before I crush you with my own hands." Minerva's eyes narrowed. "Now, play my game, or this little kitten gets a public execution…then you both."
Kagura and Erza both glared with boiling rage from Minerva's tactics. This was so low, but inside, Bellona didn't give a damn. She will do whatever it takes to show domination over everyone.
Seeing the scornful looks on their faces, Minerva smirked. "It seems those satisfying looks on your faces means yes?"
Both woman growled at Minerva as they were caught in her trap, one they were forced to stay in unless they accepted her terms. This fight got very dirty.
Darton's face showed horror. "Is this for real?!" He exclaimed, hearing Hisui's explanation. "If what you say is true, then we really won't have a tomorrow! We must act immediately, that means calling off the Grand Magic Games at once!" He implored frantically.
Hisui shook her head. "No, not yet." She defied. "If we really are sure of this person's claims, then we must verify."
"Princess, we don't have that kind of time!" Darton pointed out. "We must act now! Countless lives are at severe risk here!"
Hisui didn't answer immediately. She looked from the city below to the Domus Flau colosseum. "This person claims to know of the future…and that means the outcome of the Grand Magic Games." She ignored Darton's shock and continued on. "My advisor told me, that the outcome was something no one had ever expected. This person said…a guild will win in a way that one on had ever thought of; a way that they never saw coming. An act that puts them above all else." Her gloved hands clenched. "If they do come to fruition, only then will I believe what this person claims to know, and thus act accordingly."
Darton stepped forward. "This is our kingdom at risk, and your betting it all on the outcome of the Grand Magic Games?!" He protested.
Hisui nodded. "Yes. To be honest, I have a hard time believing it myself, which is why I am allowing this person's claim on the games to be the only hope." She mournfully frowned. "If so…then there's no choice but to use Eclipse."
Darton looked back at the Domus Flau colosseum, grunting in scorn.
"So Arcadios really survived that magma?" Vanessa asked as the group walked through Hell Palace. "That's a shock."
Loke turned towards her as he helped carry Arcadios by himself. "After what he went through, we're all still shocked as clear as day."
"Well once we get out of here, we'll get the answers – all of them – from Princess Hisui." Lucy interjected.
Everyone nodded.
Nic's eyes widened a little as he saw something up ahead. "Everyone, look up ahead."
Everyone looked ahead and saw something large up ahead. It was arched and massive, but it was something that put a smile on their faces. It was a large door.
"The exit!" Natsu yelled. "HAHA! You did it man! Your powers came through!"
Lily smirked with crossed arms. "I'm surprised that Nic's powers got us here at long last."
"Aye!" Happy said.
"Well you expect anything less?" Carla huffed. "He did raise the sea levels back on Tenrou Island before."
Nic took the lead, stopping and looking up at the massive door. 'No telling what lies on the other side. If it is a trap, we might as well be set. This is the only exit, so let's go…' His thoughts wandered into a mist as he got a foggy, eerie feeling. "What?"
The doors suddenly began to open up, much to everyone's surprise. The bright light began to expand as the doors opened forward. Natsu. Mira, Yukino, basically everyone was caught shocked as the door was opened without their help.
"Whoa! It opened!" Happy exclaimed.
"Everyone stay alert!" Nic ordered. "Be ready for anything that comes your way!"
Everyone paid heed and looked battle ready, especially Natsu as he was aching to pound another face in. To their shock, and slight disappointment, only two shadows were seen, which turned into two cloaked figures who stood at the doorway. The two figures' cloaked shifted as they stood against everyone, saying nothing.
A dense silence was amongst them, one of curiosity and heavy suspense. Eventually, Natsu broke it.
"Uh…thanks?" He quizzically said.
One of the cloaked figures had their lips part and looked shocked at Natsu. The other one looked at Nic and Vanessa, looking more composed, but still shocked.
"Natsu…" One figure whimpered. The figure was starting to tear up, putting a hand to their face.
Natsu tilted his head, his nose wrinkling. "Hang on…" His sniffer went off again, but the smell was what scared him. He gasped. "What the…no way."
Nic looked at the second, more composed figure. It had its head lowered to the ground in guilt. Still, something seemed familiar. "Who are you?" He asked in a calm yet soft tone.
The one crying at Natsu couldn't stop, and the other's head was lowered still. Everyone looked startled as the woman's voice still rang in their heads. They knew it all too well, and to their shock, it sounded like someone they'd never expect.
"That voice…and that smell…" Natsu was unable to think straight. "I know them."
The second cloaked figure reached for its hood, ready to pull it open. "It's good to see you all once more."
The second voice made Nic and Vanessa's eyes widen with realization and explicit horror. They never saw this coming, not ever.
"Impossible…" Vanessa gasped, stepping back.
Nic remained still as he knew the voice all too well. "Is that…?"
The hoods went off, revealing two figures. It was a sobbing Lucy, and a grimacing Nic.
Everyone's spines rattled. Loke, Mira, and a now-awake Arcadios, all had horror and widened eyes of sheer shock as they all nearly feel back from the unveiling.
"No way…me?! And Nic?!" Lucy muttered.
"Two Lucys and Nics?!" Happy exclaimed.
Lily stepped back. "What's going on?"
Carla was shocked again and was paralyzed as she recalled the premonition. The entire city of Crocus was a devastated battleground, and Nic was at the mercy and glares of several creatures at once, all with an infinite level of pure, bloodthirsty evil. 'My vision, it's coming to reality.'
Nic and Lucy looked at their versions of themselves. Lucy swallowed, but Nic looked in sheer revelation.
"What's going on?" He muttered, his blue eyes shuddering.
The Lucy cloaked wiped away her tears and looked at everyone again. "Please…help."
The Nic right beside her looked at the present Nic and Vanessa, who seemed to have calmed down somewhat. Both were still startled, Vanessa still shaken up some and recovering fast. He didn't budge, but stared at the two.
What he said next was what gave everyone goosebumps. "What is to happen, will decide whether we will survive…or die."
Far away, in the mountains of an undisclosed location. There was a cave, a large one. Isolated inside was something cloaked in utter darkness. It lifted its head when it felt something shift in the atmosphere. A wave of impurity was sensed, something that made it growl.
A hot breath escaped as the now revealed beast got up from its slumber and arose to crawl out of the cave. His claws left the earth beneath in small craters, his tail swung and hit the cavern sides. His wings, the left wings having lost massive scales long ago, unfolded when he reached outside. The outside air was foul and intoxicating, signs of a foreboding evil, an evil, and a similar energy resonating within it, got him on edge.
The Dragon King was revealed – Acnologia. His face was still mortally scared on the right side, behind the eye. his chest had a massive, zigzag-like scar from Rayquaza's blow, and his large scales on his wings went off from that same blow. His back had a huge burn mark from Primal Groudon's Precipice Blades, which was massive enough to leave the spot weak. The diagonal chest scar was by far the biggest.
The remembrance of the energy made him growl and snarl violently. He remembered the battle from long ago that scarred him and his reputation. This was his chance to redeem and slaughter what was to come.
His wings stretched out and his mouth opened up. He let loose a violent roar, one that would stretch for miles and sounded of a feral beast. Without a moment's hesitation, he took flight and began his way towards his destination, where the otherworldly energy was located – Crocus.
"I will have my revenge!" He roared. The remembrance of his scars all over his body made his roar more intense than ever as he sailed into the blue yonder. "Prepare yourselves, Pokémon!"
There's your cliffhanger! How was this chapter? I didn't put all of the Garou Knights battles in this because it's a waste and you know what happens in them, but as I said, I made it up by adding good battles and making Mega Venusaur appear, so hoorah there! The shock with Future Lucy and Future Nic is clear, and more shall be seen next chapter!
Please Favorite, Follow, & Review this story and/or chapter if you guys love the battles, Vanessa's Venusaur's Mega Evolution, and the anime battles and changes that I make!
Next Time: Inevitable End