SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 5 out, this is Chapter 6 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny and the main pairing.

Chapter 6: Raging Battle: Natsu Vs. Laxus

"How's it going?" Michelle wondered, Lucy and Ami were buried neck-deep in the numerous reference books. "Have you two found the ancient letters?"

"Nope, I'm not having any luck at all." Lucy moaned.

"Nothing here, either." Ami shut yet another book.

"Lucy, we've got work." Erza approached the pair.

"We're going off to capture some gold-stealing bandits." Gray explained.

"Don't tell me it's the Jiggle Butt Gang, again?" Lucy wondered.

"I dunno," Gray shrugged. "But we'll find out on the way."

"Sorry," Lucy apologized. "I'm gonna take a pass this time."

"What she said." Ami added, grabbing another book.

"We haven't gotten any further with deciphering the characters that appeared on the iron rod." Michelle explained.

"Where's Natsu?" Erza looked around.

"I don't know." Lucy replied. "It looks like he went out somewhere."

"That's it then." Erza relented. "The two of us will go."

"Wait a second…" Gray gaped. "By 'the two of us', you don't mean just you and me, Erza?"

"Do you have a problem with that?" Erza questioned.

"No," Gray sighed. "No problem."

"If everything goes smoothly, we should be home by this evening." Erza noted. "Let's get a move on."

"A duel, seriously?" Marco echoed, Wendy having informed the rest of the Guild about the Laxus-Natsu-Gajeel trio showdown. "Those two never learn their lesson."

"I guess Laxus has been living in the corner of Magnolia." Romeo noted.

"Who cares about that?" Elfman retorted. "Showdowns are a Man!"

"But are Natsu and Gajeel going to be okay?" Lisanna wondered.

"Watch this, Happy." Natsu grinned, as he faced down Laxus the next day.

"You ready?" Laxus asked. "I don't have to hold back at all, do I?"

"Of course not." Natsu retorted.

"Not gonna be my fault if you snuff it." Laxus warned.

"The same goes for you, Laxus." Natsu powered up. "Happy, get back." He cautioned as Laxus charged up.

After powering up, Natsu made the first move and charged in, only to be knocked to the ground by Laxus with one single blow.

"You're up next, right?" Laxus looked at the Steel Dragon Slayer, who had apparently, vanished.

"What?" Pantherlily echoed. "I've lost respect for you, Gajeel!" he snapped, following the rest to search for his partner.

"I've got it." Levy declared, the brainiacs having roped in the Script Mage to help. "This is ancient Potamelian."

"I've never heard of that." Michelle admitted.

"So, what does it say?" Ami asked.

"'Time is etched and then chaos descends'." Levy translated.

"I've heard of that phase before somewhere." Lucy mused. "Not here…" she surveyed the books scattered around her on the floor. "Not here either… This is the one!" she beamed. "It's from here! The phase 'time is etched and then chaos descends' appears in this book."

"What's the context?" Ami inquired.

"Let's see…" Lucy started. "It's a story about a clock that follows a strange destiny through the ages as it's passed on from one person to another. It's this pendulum clock." She flipped the page over to reveal the clock's picture.

"This isn't some rod." Ami's eyes widened as she connected the dots. "It's the hand of a clock."

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.