Chp 29: Victory


Natsu Zero and Zodie all looked up at Jellal with a grin on his face, Zodie could see the angry glare on his face whilst his fist was clenched. The phoenix slayer was puzzled, did he and Jellal had beef that he didn't know about.

"Hello Natsu", Jellal fired another ball of fire toward the dragon slayer which didn't do much.

"Did you forget fire doesn't hurt me!"

"I know I remember that about you, fire magic only makes you stronger."

But Natsu wasn't buying the act Jellal was putting on, he dashed right up to him and slugged him one. Natsu lifted Jellal up by his collar and glared at him angrily.

"If you remember me then you should remember when I kicked the crap out of you for making Erza cry, do you remember that!"

Jellal gave him a downcast look, "I'm sorry but no you're the only one I remember."

Natsu raised his fist ready to hit Jellal again when Zodie came over and stopped him. "Natsu hold on, look I don't know what Jellla did to you or Erza but right now he's on our side and we have more pressing matters at the time."

"Yes, pressing matters indeed", Zero launched another dark capriccio towards them.

"I got this", Zodie got in front of the green and amber spiral beam and blocked it with his hands absorbing the attack, "Nice try but your magic doesn't hurt me", However he felt himself start to struggle as the energy began to over power him.

"Foolish boy this power I possess far surpasses that of BRAINS!" Zodie was sent flying almost into the wall but Jellal caught him to soften the blow.

Jellal grunted from the harsh impact but ignored the pain and worried for Zodie's safety, "You ok?"

"Yeah I'm ok thank you."

Jellal set his eyes on Natsu, "Natsu whatever I did I'm sorry but right now I ask that you take this to help you defeat Zero."

He held his hand up presenting a golden flame making Natsu gaze in wonder.

"What kind of flame is this?"

"This is the flame rebuke holds all my magic power, I know you can beat this guy, don't take it for me but take it for Erza."

Natsu gave him a look of doubt unsure whether it was a trick or not until Zodie spoke up,"Natsu, if this is the way to defeat Zero then you should take it."

Natsu put his differences aside and decided to consume the flame.

"I hope you realize that by eating that you now share the sins of him."

"Everyone's got their own sins but the true sin is turning the other cheek when someone wants to help you." Natsu looked back at Zodie, "Zodie hang back ya hear, I got this."

Before Zero could react Natsu shot forward and landed a blow right in his abdomen knocking the wind out of him.

With Wendy and Carla the girls made their way to their own chamber. Wendy gasped at the size of the lacrima.

"That's pretty big", Wendy commented. "But big or not I have to do this, I have to do my part. Carla, you better stand back."

The feline nodded and kept herself at a safe distance.

The sky maiden began to inhale slowly; gathering the air all around her, this would be one of Wendy's strongest attacks.

"For Grandeena and Cait shelter Zodie wherever you are please be careful." She thought to herself.

Back with Natsu Zero unleashed another powerful caprilico but it was merely swatted away by Natsu. Then in blinding speed Natsu approacheD Zero and unleashed a barrage of fiery punches onto his face, Zero retaliated with a kick which he quickly recovered from as he planted his hand on the ground and nailing Zero in the gut with a powerful kick. Zero grinned devilishly and backhanded Natsu in the face which he then blasted Zero with a blast of fire sending him flying upwards right into the celing then falling down to the ground.

Zodie looked on with awe at the power Natsu displayed before him. "Wow Natsu is strong, is everyone in the fairy tail guild like this?"

"This power it's incredible, it's like when I ate all that etherion." Natsu said, basking in the moment of his power.

Zero rose to his feet. "Your power, your appearance it must be dragon force meaning you're a dragon slayer just like that little wind brat." He began to grin, "I'm intrigued, truly I am but now it's time for the kitty gloves to come off."

"What the heck are you saying old man?" Natsu asked.

Zero began sweating profusely. He tore his shirt off and let out a loud scream of pain. His back began to grow hunched and skin began to turn red and his teeth formed into canines, the most disturbing of them a second head seemed to be growing out of his hunch. The head resembled that of Brain, finally he grew extra appendaged arms and legs.

To say Natsu and Zodie were distrubed was an understatement, they started dry heaving at Zero's unholy form.

"What the heck am I looking at?" Zodie asked.

"I heard from this guy that he and Zero were of different personalites in one shared body but this is nuts." Natsu said.

"It's like one half physically and partially took over by conjoining with the one that's currently out."

"Two minds, twice the power." Both Brain and Zero said in unison.

"So what do we call you now zero brained?" Zodie jokes.

Natsu started laughing and lightly slapped Zodie on the back. "Oh man good one Zodie."

Brain and Zero launched at the two with lighting speed and delivered strong punches to their guts and tossed them both into a wall. The conjoined Brain and Zero then grabbed Natsu by his legs and arms holding him above their heads and started pulling him. Natsu breathed fire struggling to get free.

"You wanted to see who'd come out alive, well we were about to get our answer." Brain said sinisterly.

Zodie had seen enough he was done sitting on the side lines. He sprouted his wings ready to attack. "Hey ugly let him go, dark phoenix feather storm barrage." Zodie unleashed a flurry of dark feathers at Brain and Zero's conjoined back forcing him to stagger back and drop Natsu. Zodie ran over and pulled him to safety.

"Zodie that spell your magic, what was that, did I hear you say phoenix."

"I'll explain later but right now it's clear you can't handle them on your own time to even the odds."

Natsu grinned and nodded. "Ok let's do this."

Conjoined Brain and Zero let out a bellow before charging at the two. Zodie took Natsu by the hands and flew out of the way. Brain Zero began firing blasts of darkness at the duo til Zodie swung Natsu who kicked them into a wall. The conjoined zero and brain quickly got up and Natsu and Zodie went on Brain/Zero's left and right side and attacked with a punch but their fist was caught. He kicked Zodie but slammed Natsu to the ground. "Dark gravity." The floor below Natsu cracked and the dragon slayer fell through the falling hole. Brain/Zero followed after Natsu and attacked him while falling. "Dark delete." Spraying a rapid fire volley of green spheres, Natsu was able to get out of the way. Zodie swooped in and knocked Brain/Zero down before Natsu nailed them with a double uppercut. The phoenix child joined Natsu at his side.

"You okay?"

"I'm always okay when I'm fired up."

Brain/Zero rose to their feet. "This has been fun but now the both of us tire of this game." Brain said.

"Indeed said zero."

Brain/Zero started to swirl dark energy in both their hands. Natsu charged up with massive gold flames he charged in.

"Dragon Slayer Secret art: Exploding flame blade." Natsu's entire body ignited with flames in a swirling motion and unleashed his attack at Brain/Zero like a drill who in return launched his own powerful spell.

"Prepare for Genesis Zero." An enormous wave of darkness came from Zero heading straight towards Natsu.

"Time to die." Right before they hit Natsu the spell changed the green energy now morphed into purple phantom like essence. Natsu's spell is nullified and gets consumed by the phantom-like entities.

"Natsu no." Zodie flew in to grab him but his arms were grabbed by the arms of the phantom entities, he and Natsu both were squirming trying to get free but it was no good. Zodie tried to absorb the dark beings but it was no good.

"With this spell you two will be purged from this world so say goodnight."

At the end of the attack nothing was there except for Brain/Zero.

Somewhere in an empty colorless void Natsu and Zodie floated motionless but alive, unable to move or even speak.

"Where the heck are we… I can't move, Natsu, where are you." Zodie thought in a panicking tone; knowing he couldn't physically move his mouth.

He looked over to Natsu who too was motionless and weak floating around aimlessly. Zodie grew a mass feeling of anxiety and began to mentally have a breakdown. "Help somebody we can't move, I can't move.'' Zodie cries in terror but no answer.

After mentally ranting Zodie slipped into unconsciousness, suddenly his eyes shot open glowing yellow like they did before when he faced Dafoe. While Brain/Zero reveled their victory when suddenly something caught his eyes. The void burst open and the phantom entities were being absorbed by none other than Zodie himself.

Brain/Zero looked on with horror not believing what he was seeing. To make things worse for him with all the entities now gone Natsu shot awake and bellowed a roar as his flames flared to life taking the shape of a dragon.

"Wha… what the hell they escaped the void but how"? Zero asked.

"It's that boy the moment he deflected my spell when we first met I knew I needed to fear him". Brain said. "What is he."

Zodies eyes turned back to normal and collapsed, Natsu caught him in time and laid him against the wall.

"I got this kid so rest up."

Meanwhile in other lacrima rooms the others readied their attacks on their own individual lacrima. Wendy had finally reached her peak and was ready to unleash it. Her eyes snapped open and she chuffed her cheeks.

"SKY DRAGON… ROOOOOAAAAARRRRR!"

"But this fairy brat has the soul of a dragon".

Natsu shot himself forward at Brain/Zero and delivered a double punch to both faces.

"It's time I end this once for all". Natsu's body was enveloped in golden flames and landed the final blow. "Dragon slayer secret art, Hidden form: Flame lotus phoenix sword!"

He launched himself at Brain/Zero hitting them right in their gut then enveloped them in fire sending them rocketing up through the ceiling back into the first floor and rammed them into the lacrima destroying it.

At the same time, everyone else used their attacks and managed to destroy their lacrimas too. Each leg joint blew up and the city started to crumble.

After Wendy destroyed her lacrima multiple explosions went off with hard rumbling, the walls were rumbling and then started to crumble. Nirvana was going down.

"This thing is going down quickly Wendy, we need to go!" Carla grabbed onto Wendys hand pulling her.

"But what about Zodie we gotta find him!"

"I'm sure he'll be fine for now, We need to run."

Suddenly Wendy tripped and fell face first on the ground. Carla's eyes widened in horror when a piece of the celing was coming down on her.

"Wendy no!"

"IRON ROCK WALL!"

Suddenly several rock pillars shot up holding the falling rubble and shielding both Wendy and Carla. The girls look up to see a familiar bald headed wizard.

"Mr. Jura you're okay." Wendy said happily.

"Lady Carla, lady Wendy, I'm glad you're alright."

"Where have you been all this time? We thought Brain finished you off?"

"Apologies lady Carla but that'll have to wait when we escape." Jura used his magic to break through a nearby wall and jumped through it with both Wendy and Carla in his arms.

With Natsu's group things weren't looking too good for them Jellal was drained and couldn't move, Natsu used up his power and was feeling motion sick from the shaking. If that wasn't bad enough Zodie was unconscious so he couldn't fly them out. The fire dragon was on his knees and had one hand over his tummy crawling toward Zodie to wake him up.

"Hey, hey little z come on buddy we need to go, spread those wings and fly us out of here will ya."

Some falling rubble came down towards them, Natsu mustered up what little strength he had despite his stomach hurting, grabbed Zodie and pulled him out of the way.

"Oh crap that was close, this isn't good we're dead."

"Oh yeah."

Now outside Jura had placed Wendy and Carla on the ground. They weren't alone though the rest of the group had made it.

"Everyone, you're all here." Jura said.

"Even the silly blue tomcat."

Wendy began l;ooking around frantically but didn't see any sign of the rest. "Where's Zodie and Jelall and Natsu?"

Erza stepped up looking worried. "He wasn't in the room I was in, Gray."

"If he was with me the kid would be here now." Gray answered.

"He wasn't with us either so that means he was with Natsu in lacrima one".

Wendy began to look worried. "I'll be that's where that Zero guy was too, you don't think he's."

Erza placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You don't have to worry, Wendy Natsu is strong so I'm sure he kept Zodie safe."

"And besides flame brain is too much of an idiot to let a falling building stop him especially when he's trying to protect a friend."

"I hope you're right." Happy sadly muttered.

All of a sudden the ground began to shift and rise, from underneath the earth a stout man with long orange hair and boxy like face emerged with Natsu and Jellal on his back and Zodie in his arms.

"Friendship drives us to protect and save the ones close to us,oh yeah."

Carla gasped. "Wait, you're Hoteye."

Seeing this Jura quickly stepped in front of him. "Please lady Carla be at ease, he's on our side, he's not the enemy."

Wendy immediately ran over to Zodie who was placed gently on the ground. "Zodie don't worry I'll heal you with my magic."

"Don't even think about it child, you used up a lot of magic while destroying that lacrima." Carla interjected.

Jura places his hand on Zodie's wrist. "Not to worry Zodie is just unconscious, he'll be okay."

Zodie's eyes burst open and rose gasping looking around. "What happened, where am I, where's Zero,where's Brain." Natsu knelt down to his level.

"Easy kid, I took care of that freak thanks to you." Natsu smiled.

Wendy went up to the both of them and joyfully hugged them both. "Natsu thank you, if it weren't for fairy tail our guild would be destroyed, and Zodie i'm glad you're alright I was worried."

Zodie hugged his friend back with a soft pat on the back.

Natsu smiled and patted Wendy's head. "It wasn't just me you gotta give Zodie here some credit to, I don't know he did it but he saved my butt back there, thanks man, this calls for a high five."

Natsu raised both his hands and gave the cait shelter wizards a high hive.

While everyone basked in the glory of their victory Gray finally noticed someone over by the tree lost in his own thoughts. Once he recognized who it was his eyes widened in terror.

"Oh crap it's Jellal."

Lucy turned in the direction Gray was in til she saw Jellal for herself and her eyes to widened in terror.

"Oh crap not him again." The blonde whimpered.

"It's okay he's changed, he wasn't himself back then he's fine now." Erza said, racing to his defense.

Zodie stepped up next. "Yeah I can vouch for him, I may not not know him that well but he saved me during that fight."

"Yeah listen to them he's a good guy." Wendy added.

Suddenly everyone's attention was caught when they looked over to see a buff ichiya face hit what seemed like an invisible wall. The whole group soon noticed weird writing encircling around them.

"What's happening?" Zodie asked.

"These are runes." Gray answered.

"Whoever put it up is a master of their craft since we didn't notice it first hand." Carla said.

"Allright who the hell did this, you'd better show yourself and catch these haymakers." Natsu threatened.

Sounds of footsteps were heard and approaching near the group. An army of men wearing outfits that had white crosses on them. They had hats and were armed with metal spears, one man with black hair wearing a blue suit with glasses stepped out from the crowd.

"Calm yourselves, we mean you no harm, I just need you to stay put for a while." The man spoke. "I am Lahar, captain of the new magic council's fourth custody enforcement." Lahar fixed his glasses. "It's my duty to uphold the law and justice, we do not tolerate any evildoing."

"Evil doing, but we did nothing wrong." Carla said.

"Rest assured we're not here to arrest you, we're here for the one known as Hot eye of the oracion seis."

Jura grew tense and stepped in front of Hoteye. "No you can't!" Jura tried to reason but his efforts were stopped by Hoteye who placed his hands on his shoulder.

"No Jura, it's fine, I'll surrender."

Jura turned to look at him. "But Richard, are you sure?"

Hoteye nodded. "I may have turned over a new leaf but there is so much I need to atone for, and if I keep running then what would've been the whole point of changing in the first place."

Jura smiled. "Very well then at least let me do something for you, I can look for your brother if you wish."

"You would do that for me?"

"Indeed all I need is his name."

"His name is Wally, Wally Buchannon."

As soon as that name was heard all members of fairy tail gasped in shock.

"Wait he's your brother, Wally has a brother." Erza exclaimed.

"Yes and I miss him dearly." Me and him were insufferable after we lost our parents. We would struggle each day to get by. We would watch out for one another."

Hearing Richard talk about him and his brother made him think about Aria and all the struggles they faced each day. This didn't go unnoticed to Wendy as she saw a tear run down his face.

Erza walked up to Hoteye. "Richard, I know your brother, he's a close friend of mine."

Hearing this Richard's eyes filled with tears and h e fell to his knees crying with his hands over his face.

"For so long… I kept praying…staying positive… hoping for a miracle to happen, and now…now it's here…thank you." Hoteye said through weeps.

Once hoteye calmed down he turned himself in and a couple of knights escorted him to the carriage.

"Oh man, I feel kind of bad for him." Said Lucy.

"It can't be helped, there is nothing we can do now." Gray said.

"It's hard but he made the right choice." Carla said.

"I hope he and his brother see eachother again real soon." Zodie said, wiping a tear from his face.

Ichiya was groaning, still trying to get out. "Ok now that that's all said and done let me out now please."

"I'm afraid I can't do that, not yet at least, not until we capture our true target, someone who infiltrated the magic council forcing them to fire ethriton, im referring to you Jellal". Lahar pointed. "You're coming with us, note if you resist we have orders to kill you."

Wendy and Erza's eyes were filled with shock.

Thoughts began running through Wendy's mind, all those rumors she heard Jellal do were true after all, but even so it wasn't his fault he wasn't in his right mind. What could they do now?