Chapter 9: Cool down

Out on sea:

While Lucy and Gray search around on boat for Natsu, Wendy, and Erza, "Guys!"

"Happy! Carla! Did you find them?" Lucy asks, glancing up at the cats.

"Well..." Happy trails.

"There was another boat..." Carla said.

"What boat?" Gray looks around.

"It's over there and it's getting closer." Lucy spots it heading their way.

"Something's got to be done." Gray suggests.

"How about we hide!" Happy ducks low in the boat.

"We should flee instead!" Carla suggests as well.

"No need for that." A voice of the other boat speaks up, "I'm not here to fight."

Lucy regonizes who it is and dramatically exclaims, "Y-You are... Brandish?!"

"Long time no see, Lucy." She greets, laying in a relaxed fashion back in a chair with an umbrella for shading.

"The country destroyer herself..." Gray scoffs, surprised to see her.

"Why are you here?!" Lucy exclaims dramatically.

"Are you really here to fight?!" Gray exclaims, making sure.

"I'm just on a quest of my own... seeing as I have a goal as well." Branson replies, "And I see you're caught up in something irritating again."

"It's been a while, brandish." Happy greets.

"One of the Spriggan 12 of alveraz." Carla glances, a bit surprised.

"So fluffy." Brandish blisses at seeing happy before revealing to Lucy, "And by the way, The Spriggan 12 is more. It disbanded after the war was over." She then glares menacingly at them, not happy, "And it's your fault."

"Eek!" Lucy dramatically shivers at her glare.

"Our fault? You guys pulled the trigger first and started the war! We were just retaliating!" Gray argues.

"Well, it doesn't matter anyway." Brandish shrugs it off.

"Not matter!" Gray exclaims dramatically.

"It's not people uniting the people of alveraz after the lost of it's emperor." Brandish begins telling the fate of the other spriggans, "Currently, Ajeel has became the new king and is rebuilding alveraz."

"Is that gonna be okay?" Carla asks, sweat-drops.

"He was originally the prince from a small country in alevraz, but every since the last battle, he calmed down. Plus, yajeel and jacob are now with him." Brandish continues, "Dimaria came to hate battles and now lives peacefully on a farm."

"Un-Unbelievable..." Lucy sweat drops.

"Invel and Neinhart got imprisoned for trying to start another war. Larcade is nowhere to be found." She continues, before adding in a low voice, "Irene, Bloodman, Wahl, and God serena, as well as Gramps... died in that battle."

Lucy lowers her head in remorse, while gray only stares silently.

"I won't blame you guys at all, since you've lost important ones too." Brandish understands.

"Us two... can we be friends?" Lucy asks, smiling awkwardly.

Brandish is silent before Happy asks, "Brandish, please lend us a hand! Natsu and the others got captured!"

"It would be reassuring if you come with us!" Carla adds to that.

"As much as this doesn't please... it would be helpful." Gray admits.

"Nah, sounds like a pain." Brandish shrugs, not interested.

"That was quick!" Lucy exclaims dramatically.

"I told you, I came here on a quest of my own." Brandish said, "When I saw you, I thought it was for the same reason, but I guess not."

"What quest?" Gray asks.

"The key of Aquarius, here in Gultina. I came to retrieve it." Brandish reveals, which Lucy and them are surprise to here the reveal, "Oops, I let it slip out, I'm a failure for helping the enemy, huh."

Lucy glances down a little sad, and recalls here memories with Aquarius.

"I actually don't mind being friends with you, otherwise I won't lend it to you." Brandish then has her determined look, "I'll be the one getting aquarius while you're stuck here." She teases next.

"I..." Lucy mutters.

"What are you going to do, Lucy?" Gray asks.

"It's okay, saving our friends is our top priority!" She replies, knowing the real objective.

"Well laters!" Brandishes sells ahead, but not before turning to Lucy with a pretty smile, "It was nice to see you in good shape, Lucy."

"You're smile is cute as well and you're not definitely not a failure!" She smiles back before challenging, "Let's compete on who finds Aquarius key first!"

Both of the girls smile on very good terms before brandish sails out of sight.

"She's gone..." Happy trails.

"What now! She won't lend us her power?!" Carla exclaims.

"It's fine, she had her reasons." Gray gets it, before adding, "We'll save the other by ourselves."

"Yes!" Lucy nods in agreement before ordering, "Happy! Carla! Continue scouting the sea."

"Right, I'll check the south!" Happy nods.

"And I'll check the north!" Carla adds before both cats continue searching.

Elmina City(6pm):

Team Sueong is at a drinking cafeteria while wearing cloaks to avoid being spotted by everyone else.

"Ah! Another load while you're at it." Tyrone tells the cafe waiter, slamming his cup on the table.

"Would you chill out with that, Ty? It isn't worth doing that stunt every time you want another drink." Sueong sighs.

"Don't bother, the guy does have a drunk side to him, which is a surprise considering his usual personality." Chelliel said, but sweat-drops too.

"I mean, he's 22.. " Hiouis said, knowing he's legal to drink.

"Whew, this is better after a great fight with that Ice Devil slayer guy." Tyrone admits after emptying the glass, "Lighten up and drink, sueong. Too bad the water god dragon got his powers stolen, and we came here nothing, but at least you had one fight to make up for it..."

"One, I can't wait for you to hurry and sober up, and two... I'm not drinking!" Sueong exclaims dramatically.

"Stingy..." Tyrone utters before continuing without any worries, much to the ice slayers annoyance.

"He's too far gone..." Chelliel sighs and shrugs.

"It's also funny because you usual don't react that way, sueong." Hiouis snickers.

"Hmph..." Sueong rolls his eyes, lowering his clock over head a little as things continue in the bar.

Diabolos Ship:

In the lower deck, Natsu and Wendy are both in motion sickness mode as they're still chain tied around the wooden pole.

"This... really sucks... hrgh..." Natsu feels like he'll barf.

"I... know right... argh..." Wendy feels the same.

Footsteps are heard coming down the stairs, "Rise and Shine, you two finally awake?"

They slowly glance up and see Degro eating a plate of food, "You two look like you'll barf... motion sickness, I presume? So glad I'm a fifth gen dragon slayer and not a first one."

"...Ugh... you...!" Natsu struggles to break the chains.

"Nuh-uh-uh..." Degro waves a finger in not trying, "The type of chains that are tied around you are absorption chains. The more you move around, the faster they'll drain you magic. Be glad I didn't impale you with them cause that would have been 10 times worse."

"...So that's it...ugh..." Wendy utters/struggles.

"You both are already in a bad spot, so I guess recommending on not making it worse." Degro shrugs, "Plus, there's no way you guys eating anything when you're on the edge of puking, so that's out of the question." He chews on some rice before gulping and states, "Makes me question... why is motion sickness even a thing for dragon slayers that are 1st through 4th gen? We'll never know."

"Quit... you yapping...!" Natsu slowly exclaims, "I'll pummel you once these... chains are off of us... ugh..."

"Huh? Don't make threats if you can't back them up in your pitiful condition. You can't even move between motion sickness via the moment of this ship and my chain draining your magic. Further threats and struggling is useless." Degro smirks and brags.

"Grrr..." Natsu glares, wanting to beat him badly.

"...What are you guys... going to do with us?" Wendy slowly asks.

"Hmm..." Degro thins with a finger under chin, "Well, for one, we'll keep you guys captive for a bit longer, and second, we'll eat your dragon slayer attributes as we're dragon-eaters for that reason. That's all there is to it, nothing wasted." He has a straight face while explaining it before continuing his meal.

"..." Natsu and Wendy can only glare at him, still struggling with motion sickness.

Gulping, "Don't give me those looks, it sure as hell won't release the chains." Degro shake his head, amused before turning around, "Anyways, I'm out." He heads back up deck before telling them in a sarcastic way, "And Sweet dreams, sick slayers. Ha Ha!"

After he leaves, "Just wait... till I get my hands on... that bastard... ugh.." Natsu grunts.

"...We have to... do something..." Wendy utters, looking at the chains around them.

In another deck, "I will gladly eat his meal." Erza whimpers in her dog position and gobbles down on her plated food.

"Good girl!" Kyria glances down, still having her rope leash on her while sitting down, "Sorry that I couldn't afford a proper meal for a pet. So the rotten left overs was all you could get."

"It's good... *cough*" Erza pukes and coughs out the rotten food.

"Eww..." Kyria glances in disgust.

"See? Now you ready to through her off this ship?" Degro stands near the door with arms crossed.

"The answer is no. I'm keeping her around for a little longer." Kyria replies before leashing erza over.

"Stubborn..." Degro sighs and walks off.

"Time to wash you, you're dirty all over." Kyria splashes a bucket of water on her.

"Th-Thank you very much..." Erza mutters.

"But I still have to punish you, right? So go on and show me your butt." Kyria smirks sinisterly with a hand raise, giving her several spankings.

Meanwhile:

After several cups of alcohol, Tyrone takes a little nap, still having his clock on.

"Finally." Chellial sighs, "Was wondering when he was going to call it quits."

"This isn't the first time, chelly. Even back at the guildhall." Hiouis said, shaking his head unsurprised.

"He'll sober up eventually, which it'd better be sooner than later." Sueong states, glancing out the window, and sensing something off, "...This sensation. It's like something huge is coming to the surface." He thought, knowing this town acting way too normal with it's water god out of commission.

Water God's Palace:

Caramille watches over mercuphobia as the latter lies unconscious in bed after the scuffle between Team Natsu, Team Sueong, and the Diabolos. He regains then opens his eyes slowly, much to her relief, "Water god-sama!"

All of a sudden, he sits up and clutches his head in pain, "Ugh...uhh...!"

"You should lie down for now." She advises before hearing some rumbling above the ceiling, "What?!" Looking up.

Out of nowhere, Mercuphobia grabs her by the throat, much to her confusion, "Water god-sama...?!"

"Get away, hurry!" He quickly exclaims in warning, knowing something is about to happen to himself.

Back on the Ship:

With it now in the night-time, The Dragon eaters are sleep in each deck room: Kyria does it soundly while still holding on to the rop leash on erza, who's laying on the ground. Mad-mole(in pajamas) and Degro snoozes soundly, with the latter muttering in his sleep every now and then. Skullion's still awake as he's patrolling the deck.

In kyria's room, "Hm." Erza rips the collar leash off her neck before standing up with bruises on her butt, having been worn off from the hypnosis affects, "You played with me real good, huh." She glares angrily at the sleeping kyria, but holds off from attacking her, "But a proper knight wouldn't attack someone in their sleep." She then heads out the room quietly, "Now to go free natsu and wendy."

She heads down to the lower deck and spots them, still motion sickness condition.

"Erza.." Natsu utters.

"So you were okay... all along." Wendy utters.

"Her "cut the strength" thing was an hypnosis attack on the eye. But thanks to my artificial eye, the effects wore off." She then quietly exclaims, still made at the humiliation kyria gave her, "But she'll pay for this!"

She proceeds to untie the chain around the two, but when she touches it, "!" she backs off and notices, "This chain... it's like it drained a little of my magic."

"Whenever we move... the chain drains our power and prevents us from doing anything." Wendy utters.

"Dam... I see, so it's like a magic sealing stone. In that case." Erza comes up with an idea, "I'll have no choice but to touch it and quickly untie you two so the magic drain won't be worse."

"Can't you just slash it off...?" Natsu asks.

"If I did that then our enemies would wake up. Chains aren't like ropes, they become loud when impacted." Erza whispers before proceeding to do it, "Kuh...!" She feels her magic power draining upon touching the chain, but endures and manages to quickly untie them, freeing the dragon slayers.

"Alright, I removed magic sealing chain." She names, "Now to begin our counterattack."

"About that..." Natsu utters.

"This ship us moving..." Wendy utters, both laying front up in motion sickness.

"Oh, that's right!" Erza forgot.

Out of nowhere, The ship suddenly crashes, causing Kyria and Mad-mole to wake up.

"Huh!" Kyria sits up.

"Cha?" Mad-mole sits up, in pajamas.

"Mhm." Degro, however, is still snoozing off deeply.

"What happened?!" Skullion looks overboard and sees, "The ship...is on a hill?!"

"The movement?!" Natsu notices.

"It stopped!" Wendy too, both now back to normal.

In sea on a boat, "I only made the rock underwater bigger." Brandish smirks from a distance before selling off for good, "Well, see ya, next time."

"Alright!" Standing up with his fist pumped to the ground, "Our counterattack starts now!" Natsu grins raring to go, with the wendy and erza beside him, raring to go as well.

Elmina City:

"Let's get out of here, I'm barred out now." Sueong stands up, before walking toward the bar entrance, "We're heading back to Catafalco."

"Darn, I was just starting to take a nap." Hiouis mutters, in a almost drowsy way, "Knew I should have taken one when tyrone did."

"Alright ty, time to get up." Chellial helps him.

"S-Sure, hic*" Tyrone slowly does so, still a little drunk.

Sueong makes it out in the open with his cloak still on, but to his view, "!"

Everyone is running in panic all over the place, screaming and yelling.

"Lord Water god is on a rampage!" One of them yell, "Brace yourself and run!"

"The water god dragon...?" Sueong narrows in confusion before turning to the right at the sky, suddenly seeing, "Huh?!"

He's stunned to see Mercuphobia, in dragon form, on a sudden rampage, destroying most parts of the city.

"ROOOOAAARRR!" The Dragon roars loudly as he creates water tornado's to continue.

"The hell, The water dragon god?!" Sueong exclaims, "He's all of a sudden in dragon form... I thought his powers were stolen?!" He recalls to what skullion previously mentioned about the white mage taking them, "Tch... it's either that skull dude lied to me or there's more to this white mage then taking the magic power of others..."

The other three exit the bar, "Alright sueong, let's-" Hiouis then sees mercuphobia rampage and exclaims, "Woah!"

"Is that... the water dragon god?!" Chelliel exclaims, letting tyrone off.

"So his powers... weren't stolen at all?" Tyrone wonders, slowly receding his drunk side.

"He's going crazy and destroying his own town... isn't that strange?" Hiouis asks sueong.

"A hundred percent." Sueong agrees, "This rapid change in personality and power from what he showed before is off track. The hell is really going on..."

"You're the guys from earlier." Caramille walks up, with a sad face.

"Hm?" Sueong turns his glance to her.

"Uh... you were with the water god dragon, Like his assistant or something, right?" Chelliel guesses.

"Yes." Caramille replies, "I know you three were at the palace to kill lord water god earlier..."

"We were, and?" Sueong narrows a brow.

"Please... slay him and put him to peace." She begs, with a sad look.

"..." Team Sueong only glances at her, as the water god continues rampaging.

Yep, Team Sueong is seemingly about to face the rampaging mercuphioba after hearing caramille's begging, while Team Natsu and the Diabolos go at it. Two battles are about to ensue.

Note: You guys are in for a surprise next chapter.

Until next time.