Chapter3: The Shell of a Man
Racer, the fastest wizard in the Oracíon Seís, had been charged with retrieving a certain someone for Wendy and Akira to revive. An hour later the speedy mage had come back with a huge purple t-shaped coffin, chains and lacrima seals wrapped around it, a gold design that reminisced of a bull's skull and Arachne. "Sorry it took me so long," he set the heavy metal thing down, "Thing's so heavy I could barely build up any speed. I thought I was fast, but…after that trip I'm starting to doubt myself." He said somberly.
"Let me assure you Racer," Brain began, "There is no one that can even come close to your speed."
The three gazed up at the large coffin in fear, Brain walking into their line of sight with the thing, "It's time, Wendy, Akira. Now are you two ready to use your magic to resurrect the man inside?" he asked rhetorically.
"We're not gonna do it!" The redhead yelled.
"And you can't make us!" Wendy added.
"I'm sorry…" the tall man smiled menacingly, "Perhaps I forgot to mention, you have no choice in the matter!" The lacrima were unsealed, the chains dropped to the floor as the face of the coffin started to dissolve. The particular individual in said coffin was none other than an Ethernano bathed blunette male named Jellal. Akira, Wendy, and Happy all gasped in astonishment at the fact that he was right there before them when he was thought to be deceased. "Allow me to introduce you to Jellal, a once brilliant wizard who infiltrated the Magic Council."
"It's not him, it can't be!" Happy backed away.
"Oh, but is." Brain smiled, "Once he's revived he will lead us to Nirvana." Brain explained how the man was still alive, having absorbed an enormous amount of Ethernano from the leftovers of the Tower of Heaven and the Etherion blast used to destroy it Jellal was simply comatose from over-exposure. He turned back to them, telling them that they were his only hope for survival, then using a guilt trip to try and sway them.
"That guy is bad news…" Happy sighed. "What's he doing here?"
"Do you know him too?" Akira asked.
"Well it's not like we're friends," the cat started, "He tried to kill me, Erza, Natsu…and a bunch of other people too! He's the one who got the Magic Council to fire the Etherion Cannon!"
"Yea, we uh…heard about that…" Both Akira and Wendy stared at the floor.
"But I thought Jellal was ancient history!"
"He is indeed." Brain spoke up again, "A shell haunted by a restless ghost, full of miserable ideals. But also the man who's given you girls the greatest gift." He chuckled.
"He did? What does that mean?" the cat looked up to them.
"This is your opportunity to return the favor and revive him!"
"Don't do it!" Happy pleaded, "No matter what this guy says you can't wake him up!" All the while the two stayed silent, thinking it all over while still in shock to suddenly see him again. "Please don't do it! You can't!"
Brain pulled out a dagger, pointing it at the unconscious former council member, "Are you refusing…?"
"No! Please stop!" they cried out in unison, the large man stabbing the cushioned part next to Jellal's head. "Please…I beg you."
Brain shot a small ball of dark magic energy at them, it hit Akira's right leg, "Ahh!" However there was enough residual mana left on her skin for the wound itself to heal, however the pain remained.
"Revive him!" he commanded.
"No! That's the last thing either of you should do!"
"None of us would be here if it weren't for him…" Akira started as Wendy's tears rolled down her cheeks.
"He was so kind to us! To the three of us…" she sniffled, "I heard all the horrible stories about what he did, but I don't believe him!"
"Wendy…" Akira sighed, "You know there has to be some truth to those stories. I don't want to believe them either but…those rumors aren't things you can make up about a person…" she tried being mature and explaining things to the younger girl while still just as lost about it herself.
"Yea Wendy you gotta trust me, I was there I saw what happened!" Happy stated.
"He's not the kind of person do those things!" Akira and Wendy proclaimed simultaneously.
The redhead looked up at Brain, "Please...can we…just have a little time to think it over…?"
"Why? Just say no!" Happy demanded.
"Very well…You have five minutes," he agreed, setting a time limit. At that moment Natsu and Yuki's voices could be heard as they called out for the three. "Racer, intercept them!"
"Gladly boss." The blonde smiled, then bolted out the cliff where they stood to give them another beating, kicking Natsu, Gray, Yuki, Carla, and Kuro down. After sorting out that Natsu and Carla would go down to rescue the girls and Happy, Yuki and Grey stayed behind to fend off Racer.
By the time Natsu and Carla got to them, it was too late. Jellal had been revived by the girls with Akira absorbing the extra ethernano poisoning him and Wendy healing him further to wake him. The redhead was comforting the blunette girl as she sobbed apologies.
"Wendy?! You used your healing on him?! You know what that does to you child!" Carla chastised the girl just before the poor thing passed out.
Natsu charged at Jellal, his hand engulfed in flames as he threw a punch, the taller young man side step and hitting him with some heavenly body magic, knocking the pinkette into a wall of the cave. Then he used the same spell on Brain, putting him six feet under. Those left conscious couldn't help but watch him walk away.
After holding Wendy for a few seconds, Akira realized she was sucking out what bit of magical energy she still had. She put her down, going over to pull Natsu from underneath the small pile of rubble. "Natsu, Wake up!" she shook him awake.
"Ah! Alright!" the pyro woke up suddenly, "Let's rock! Bring it on!" he yelled at Jellal.
"He just left." Carla deadpanned.
"That coward!" he screamed.
"Look, I know that you and Jellal have a past-so do we, but that's not the point! Point is we need to get back to base right?" Akira reasoned with him.
"You do you want to save your friend don't you?" The white cat added in.
"MAN I HATE THAT GUY!" Echoed in the cave, which actually make Akira's ears ring for a moment. "But, I guess you're right. Let's go, kay?!"
"Aye sir!" Happy answered, the blue feline would notice Carla grabbing Wendy as Akira started taking off her top, which turned out to be a jacket- revealing the skirt was a halter dress. A blue Cait Shelter cat mark centered between her shoulder blades.
"Midnight Aero!" A black magic circle appeared on her back, large crimson bat like wings sprouting from it while a smooth, slender, spaded matching crimson tail extended from her spine. "Finally have enough energy to use these~," she smiled, running, jumping up as she exited the cave, flapping her powerful wings to lift her into the air.
