About a moment later, the citizens of Magnolia stood in front of the palace entrance with Carla standing on top, making an announcement, "People of Magnolia! Her Royal Highness, Princess Wendy Marvell, has finally chosen a suitor!"
Wendy was peeking out of a curtain, just as she heard Romeo say, "Wendy?"
Wendy turned and saw Romeo, "Romi! Where have you been?"
"Wendy," Romeo said, taking his crown off. "There's, uh, there's something I've got to tell you."
But Wendy grabbed his arm and pulled him up the stairs, "All of Magnolia is abuzz from Carla's big announcement!"
"No!" Romeo yelled. "Wendy, listen to me! Please!"
"Good luck!" Wendy smiled, giving Romeo a good luck kiss. She shoved Romeo out onto the platform with Carla, where he overlooks the entire crowd.
Carla presents him, "Prince Romi Cababwa!"
The people of Magnolia began to cheer for Romeo, and he gets nervous. "Oh, boy," he muttered as he waved to the crowd.
Far above, Brain and the Oración Seis had watched through a window from a tower at the palace.
"Look at them," Cobra glared. "Cheering for that little pipsqueak."
"Let them cheer, Cobra," Brain smiled evilly as he looked at the dragon scale in his hands. "It won't last."
"Ooh, this has been a long time comin'! The biggest haul in the century! Oh yeah!" Hoteye squealed excitedly.
Midnight smirked, "Oh, if only you knew, Hoteye. It's been a lifetime for all of us."
"Gimme a tissue," Angel said to Midnight, tears of joy streaming down her face. "I'm crying for victory!"
Brain chuckled in agreement and rubbed the dragon scale, and Natsu appeared. He's still upset after his argument with Romeo.
"You know, Romeo, I'm getting really…" he frowned before he turned to see that it wasn't Natsu. He yelped, "I don't think you're him." He pulled out a playbill and consulted it, "Tonight, the role of Romeo Conbolt will be played by a tall, dark, and sinister middle-aged man." He looked up, "And I don't recall Happy or Asuka being played by five other sinister looking people—"
"Hear this, you fire-breathing salamander," Midnight declared, subduing Natsu with his Reflector Magic and crushing his face behind his foot, "Father is your master now."
"I was afraid of that," Natsu muttered under Midnight's foot.
"Well said, Midnight," Brain smirked. He turned to Natsu, "Genie, grant me my first wish! I wish to rule on high, as King of Magnolia!"
Back outside, the tranquility was cut short when dark clouds circled the palace. The palace shook and the roof ripped off, causing Romeo, Wendy, and Carla to duck.
"Whoa!" Romeo yelled.
"Bless my soul…" Carla sighed. "What is this? What is going on?"
Suddenly, Brain appeared out of nowhere, laughing evilly with Cobra next to him.
"What matter of trickery is this, you vile betrayer?!" Carla said angrily.
"That's King Vile Betrayer to you, nincompoop!" Cobra smirked.
Brain turned to Romeo and smirked, "Well, 'Prince Romi', it appears you finally figured it out. I'm sure you've met my friends who tried to dispose of you the other day…"
Soon, the other members of the Oración Seis appeared next to Brain. He continued, "That's right! I am Brain, master of the Oración Seis, the most powerful wizards in Magnolia, and now, rulers of the kingdom!"
"Oh, yeah?" Romeo glared. "We'll just see about that!" He began searching his pockets, but he was completely shocked to realize the dragon scale wasn't there. All because he had forgotten it! He gasped, "The scale!"
Brain chuckled as he held up the dragon scale. He mocked, "Finders-keepers, Cabooboo!"
Romeo, Wendy, and Carla turned and gasped in horror to see a giant Natsu reach down and pick up the palace, as if it were a toy.
"Oh, no!" Romeo exclaimed. He called out, "Happy!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy cried, arriving just in the nick of time. He lifted Romeo up to the level of Natsu's head.
"NATSU, NO!" Romeo shouted.
"Sorry, kid," Natsu apologized. "I've got a new master now." He sadly set the palace down on top of a hill.
"Brain!" Carla demanded. "As Prime Minister of Magnolia, in the name of Queen Grandeeney, I order you to stop this foolishness at once!"
"Ah, but there is a new order now," Brain deadpanned. "My order. Finally, you miserable wretches! You will bow to me!"
"Ahem!" the Oración Seis interrupted sternly. They did not want to be left out.
"And… to the Oración Seis!" Brain corrected himself.
"Oh, yeah, you big jerks?!" Wendy screamed. "What are you gonna do if we don't?"
"Why am I not surprised?" Cobra said sarcastically.
"If you won't bow before a king, THEN YOU WILL COWER BEFORE A SORCERER!" Brain declared. "Genie, my second wish! I wish to be the most powerful sorcerer IN THE WORLD!"
He laughed evilly as Natsu nervously looked away and shut his eyes, pointing a finger to Brain.
"NATSU, STOP!" Romeo yelled. He tried to stop Natsu, but it was too late. A powerful bolt of magic was shot at Brain, granting him immense magical power and restoring his once-broken skull-faced staff in his hand.
"Ladies and gentlemen…" Cobra announced, "…a warm Magnolia welcome for Sorcerer Brain! I can hear it! The crowds are going wild!"
"Now, where were we?" Brain wondered. "Oh, yes. Abject humiliation!" He used his staff to zap Wendy and Carla, forcing them to bow to him. Grandeeney roared and attempted to lunge towards him, but Brain mocked, "Down, girl!" and zapped her, turning her into a kitten. Brain smirked and lifts Wendy's chin with his staff, "Oh, Princess, there's someone I'm DYING to introducing you to." He turned to Angel, "Angel, be a dear and start us off."
"Brain!" Romeo yelled as Happy dashed him towards Brain. "Get your hands off her!"
Angel smiled slyly, "My pleasure."
Angel: Prince Romi, yes, it is he
But not as you know him
Angel summoned the Celestial Spirit Caelum, who uses its Beam Attack to bring Romeo down to the ground and knock Happy away.
Hoteye: Read our lips and come to grips
With reality (Oh, yeah!)
Brain pushed Wendy forward as Angel dragged Romeo.
Racer: Yes, meet a blast from your past
Midnight: Whose lies were too good to last
Brain: Say hello to your precious Prince Romi!
Brain zapped Romeo with his staff, changing him back into his dark sleeveless jacket and yellow scarf on his neck, much to Romeo's dismay. Wendy couldn't believe her eyes.
"Or should we say…" Cobra added with a smirk, "…Romeo?"
"Ro… Romi…" Wendy gasped.
"Wendy…" Romeo explained sadly, coming over to Wendy. "I tried to tell you, I'm just—"
But suddenly, Midnight pushed Romeo away with his Reflector Magic.
Brain: So Romi turns out to be
Romeo Conbolt
Asuka the Elephant tried to charge at Brain and his minions, but Brain zapped her, changing her back to her human form.
"Oh, crud," Asuka muttered to herself.
Just a con, need I go on?
Take it from me
Brain then used his magic to trap Romeo and Asuka in a green whirlpool.
His personality flaws
Give me adequate cause
He grabbed Romeo's nose, shaking his head, before he slapped him. His magic sent Romeo and Asuka flying into a turret of the palace.
To send him packing on a one-way trip
So his prospects take a terminal dip
Unnoticed by Brain, Happy quickly flew up into the turret.
His assets frozen,
The venue chosen is the ends of the earth!
WHOOPEE!
On 'WHOOPEE', he swung his staff like a golf club and the turret blasted off like a rocket as Natsu looked on sadly.
So long!
The other members of the Oración Seis waved mockingly, "Good-bye! See ya! Don't come back!"
Ex-Prince Romi!
Brain began to laugh triumphantly at his victory. Wendy and Carla were backed against a wall, huddled together and clinging to each other, cowering in horror.
The turret arrived in a snowy wasteland and crashed to the ground and rolled. Romeo emerged from the turret, shivering.
"Asuka?" Romeo called out. "ASUKA!"
Just then, he looked back and saw a shivering pile of snow. "Oh, this is all my fault," Romeo said remorsefully as he began digging, "I should've freed Natsu when I have the chance!" Finally, he uncovered Asuka and quickly cradled her in his jacket, "Asuka, are you okay?"
Asuka shivered with a nod, "Uh-huh."
"I'm sorry, Asuka," Romeo apologized, hugging Asuka. "I made a big mess of everything. I shouldn't have yelled at you back then."
"N-N-N-N-N-No…" Asuka said, still shivering, "I-I-I-I-I-It isn't your f-f-f-f-f-f-fault the b-b-b-b-b-b-bad guys got N-N-N-N-N-N-N-Natsu. Y-Y-Y-Y-You j-j-j-j-just d-d-d-d-d-don't know it yet. And I would n-n-n-n-n-never be m-m-m-mad at my b-b-b-best f-f-friend! W-W-W-We're… b-b-b-b-best f-f-f-friends… f-f-f-f-forever! R-R-R-R-R-R-Remember?"
"I… I remember," Romeo said softly.
"G-G-G-G-Go! Go on without m-m-m-m-me!" Asuka cried. "G-G-G-Go s-s-save W-W-W-Wendy!"
"No!" Romeo shouted. "I'm not leaving you behind! Friends need to stick together, no matter what! We're going together!" Tears began streaming down his face. "A friend never leaves a friend behind, no matter what! So I'm not leaving without you! And I'm not leaving without Wendy and Natsu!" He wiped his tears to see Asuka holding tightly on his chest, crying as well.
"I-I-I-I-I l-l-l-l-love you, R-R-R-Romeo," Asuka sniffled. "Y-Y-Y-You're the b-b-b-best."
Picking up Asuka on his back, Romeo said with a comforting smile, "Yeah. You're the best too, Asuka." His face turned serious, "Save your strength. We have to get back to Magnolia and save Natsu and Wendy."
Romeo made his way through the snow lifting Asuka on his back, before a frozen Happy emerged underneath.
"Happy!" Romeo exclaimed.
"M-M-Man… Am I glad to see you!" Happy shivered. "I wish I could help you outta here, but my tail is stuck!" True enough, Happy's tail was trapped beneath the turret. "You gotta help me! Hurry!"
"Hold on!" Romeo cried. He tried to tug him free before he got an idea, "Asuka, start digging!" Asuka did as she was told. "That's it!"
Finally, enough snow was removed, causing the turret to roll away. Romeo pulled Asuka out of the way as they ran, before Romeo got an idea and slid into place, much to Asuka's horror. The turret rolled over them, and once it rolled over the edge, Romeo and Asuka were unharmed, sitting in a patch of snow left by a window.
"Woo-hoo! Alright!" Romeo cheered. He looked up to see a shell-shocked Asuka clinging to the top of his head, forming a sort of crown.
"S-S-S-S-S-S-S-So… s-s-s-s-s-s-s-scary…" was all Asuka said, before she fell off Romeo's head in a dead faint.
"Sorry about that," Romeo chuckled sheepishly.
Happy shook off the snow and flew around excitedly, crying, "Woo-hoo! Happy's back in action!"
"Yeah!" Romeo cried in agreement as Happy lifts him, just as Romeo lifts Asuka. "Back to Magnolia! Let's go!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy responded by flying Romeo and Asuka into the sky for Magnolia.
The final battle is about to begin.
To Be Continued…