The massive altitude roared as loud as the velocity each and every ship in the flying arsenal Ajeel had. All their engines roared so loud that it would've broken the sound barrier, making Ajeel's heart for battle thump just as loudly. He smirked at his enemies as they closed in, impending doom on the rise.
Nic's glare hardened as he recognized his foe. "Ajeel…"
"Crap, isn't that the sand creep we've met before?" Gray exclaimed.
"Aw man, not him again!" Happy whined. "We barely got out the last time!"
For those who were on board with the whole Makarov rescue mission ordeal, they remembered full well of Ajeel, and everyone else recalled his arrival in Magnolia with his fleet then. Making sandstorms, and nearly getting away is something that still made some of their hearts race to this day.
Griffon's eyes narrowed as he saw the numbers ahead. "Just look at the size of those things. Just how many are there?"
"Don't know, but we're in big trouble if we don't fight back, and quick!" Matilda groaned. She of all people wanted to get hands-on against the empire, but she didn't have any capabilities of doing battle this high off ground. Plus, she could never hope to leap that far and not be picked up by the air currents.
Ajeel glared ahead as many of the people on the other ships got to battle stations. He snickered low as cannons reloaded, while others were charging up to attack. "Let's get this welcome party started, shall we?" He reached out ahead. "Alright, fire on my signal!"
Even without perceptive hearing, many could see the signals. "Everyone look alive, he's about to make a move!" Erza warned.
"Uh, anyone got any bright ideas?" Lucy worried.
Nic frowned at the circumstances, but not to where he mentally cursed himself. He knew for factual reasons that their aerial dynamics were limited. Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers were being watched by Kinana and Kevin as they spoke, leaving them predisposed. They only had so few on hand who could possibly fly; himself included.
But he wasn't a quick thinker for nothing. He looked down at the bow's damage, seeing how a chink was blown off. 'If this material is magicproof as Ultear said, then those cannons must be at a caliber strong enough to bring things like this down.' He took the first initiative at hand. "Everyone, protect the ship!"
"Right!" they all exclaimed.
Ajeel's arm went down and out, giving the command with a glory-filled smile. "Alright, light 'em up! Fire!"
At his command, the 50 ships' cannons all fire prolonged projectile blasts across the sky. Each one whistled as they streamed like comets at the massive cargo ship ahead of them.
Joey was on the brink of paling. Dereece was full-on panicking and wailing as more attacks head their way. Bypassing them, Broly made a dash ahead of them. "Wait, what are you doing?!" Joey exclaimed.
"What I was told to do!" Broly roared. "Everyone sit tight, it's gonna get bumpy!" He passed Nic and Erza as he made his way to the front, where he saw all the blasts heading his way. Now seeing the many projectiles in sight, he reached both arms out in brace.
"Alright! Barrier-Make: Barrier!"
A massive glass-like turquoise shield expelled from in front, quickly shielding all away around the entire ship's front. It looked like a massive rampart that all of the projectile blasts shot into. Each one rippled and faded as the shield was undeterred by any means, much to Ajeel's surprise.
"Huh?! A shield?" he exclaimed.
Seeing Broly's impenetrable defense, Meredy look relieved. "Oh wow, that's stopping them all!" she happily exclaimed.
Lyon frowned. "That may be so, but it's far too early for a celebration."
"He's right! We've gotta attack back!" Aniya shouted, requipping what looked like a prolonged light. When it faded, she pointed it ahead, glistening in the sunlight as a massive cannon-like structure was in front of her, having many holes that could unleash missiles. "Alright, time to fight fire with fire!"
Erza turned towards the group. "Lisanna! You and Elfman make sure that the Pokémon are safe!"
Lisanna nodded. "You got it!"
"Leave it to a man to get the job done! Let's go, sis!"
"Right!" Lisanna and Elfman turned away, leaving the rest behind as they hurried back inside the door.
Erza looked at Gray. "How are Natsu and the other Dragon Slayers?"
He furrowed his brow at the redhead. "Not too bright right now. The ship's been a rocky road for them. Plus Snover put them to sleep before. It'll be a while before we get 'em in the air."
Erza turned back around to look forward. She didn't like it, but they didn't have much to work with at the moment. But nevertheless, she knew someone had the plans. She looked over to her husband, who was glaring ahead.
Nic was completely silent as he frowned dead ahead. He could see pass the few yellow ripples hitting the huge barrier that the origin lied with their adversary. He could see the intense glare and wicked smile the Sand Mage was giving them. Even if inaudible, he could tell he was snickering, and he knew better than to ask why. The answer was obvious. And it was because of that it was the reason why they came here.
His disposition changed. He made a dash ahead, startling his wife. "Nic?!"
"Erza, get Talonflame ready!" he yelled. He closed in on Broly, while the Barrier-Make Mage was trying to concentrate. "Broly, are you able to make any openings above?"
Without facing him, he responded. "Yeah, I can! What for?"
"It's as your comrade said…if they want an air battle…" His glare hardened. "Then you'll give them what they asked."
The Barrier-Make Mage smirked. 'He must have confidence and experience if he wants to go for that. And making an opening above would allow an opportunistic surprise, hopefully that is.' "Alright, Nic, show's all yours!" Above everyone, the turquoise veil overhead made a small opening, no bigger than a Wailmer possibly. "You've got 30 seconds!"
"Got it!" Nic looked towards Erza, giving her an assuring nod. The redhead, finally understanding, nodded.
"Be careful."
Nic smirked. "No promises. Let's give them what they asked for…" He pulled out a Poke Ball, swinging his arm to launch it. "Staraptor…GO!"
"Talonflame…come forward!" Erza launched her Poke Ball next. Together, both capsules opened, and both birds surged out of into the deck's air above, cawing loudly.
Nic bent down, glowing and transforming into his Sky Form. The sash he had was white as clouds, along with the rolled-up cuffs. The edging was cloudy white around his coat, but for the rest of the way, everything was sky blue. 'There isn't time to waste…' His feathered wings spread as he looked up. 'We need to settle this once and for all.' He flapped his wings once, making powerful gusts expel everywhere, casing everyone to jerk away and cover up. Nic shot up like a rocket, climbing steeply towards the hole. Talonflame and Staraptor both flapped their wings, the two doing a somersault that made momentum for a shot straight up alongside Nic.
With all their bodies streamlined, they converged and looked like a three-headed torpedo. As they shot out altogether, time drastically slowed down for the three as white and sunlight beamed everywhere.
'This time…' A surge of wind enveloped Nic, pulsating around him, Talonflame, and his Staraptor. "IT'S OUR TURN TO FIGHT!" As he roared, his Tailwind activated. A massive wind jetted them all, making them surge like Mach speed bullets. When they left the barrier, a ripple was seen high above, where three projectiles continued a steady and sharp climb into the nomadic blue. As they climbed higher into the atmosphere, they sounded like jets. "Stop those ships at all costs!"
"Okay!" Talonflame exclaimed.
Staraptor's red eyes sharpened. "On it!"
Narrowing his eyes, Nic picked up speed, the Tailwind making small streams follow them as they all diverged; Nic being a massive arch over like a rainbow, with the two birds streaming in arching at an angle along the sides. They all flew at monstrous speeds that made them break the sound barrier, and even that was alarming some of the ships.
Ajeel motioned his arm again. "Don't let up! Keep firing until that barrier gives in!"
The ships all did as told and continued their relentless barrage of magical projectiles against the foreign invaders. Even as Broly closed the hole atop of the barrier, nothing was getting through. But still, they kept pushing, just like soldiers were supposed to do.
Orion stepped up to Broly's side, his disposition as serious as ever. "How far are we from the enemy?"
"1 kilometer from how it looks!" he yelled back through his barrier being banged against.
Orion nodded and turned away. "Alright then. Aniya, do what you must."
"Hmph! No problem!" The magenta-haired girl sneered as she held up her cannon. She used the two wheels on her device and thrust it forward. She pushed hard enough to where it stood beside Broly. "Alright, I'm ready!" Broly used his powers again to make a decent opening for just a split second. She pushed forward again, and the barrier closed around the cannon's tip so nothing would get through. Her orange visors she had on began to show translucent monitors and lock-on sequences. Many pinpoints that were red beep rapidly as a signal went off on the visor, spelling 'TARGET LOCKED'. A smirk crept onto her face. "Okay…how's about you eat missiles you pricks!" She pulled the trigger, and the next thing anyone saw were the holes in the cannon firing actual missiles that flew through the air at massive speeds.
The missiles all whistled as smoke trailed behind them as they surged pass many magical masers. Due to their programming, the missiles avertedly dodged the bullets, though one or two got hit, exploding in a fiery display that swallowed up a lot of space. The missiles closing alarmed soldiers on one ship as they screamed and ran for cover, but one missile collided with the ship, exploding with such a range that the whole deck and below was engulfed in flames. The ship went down, and with it, several more missiles surged and hot ships in their wings, their sides, even square center head on. In total, 10 ships were breaking apart and going down like flaming pyres.
Aniya sneered victoriously. "Too easy."
"She took out a fraction of them in just one blow?!" Lyon gasped.
"Well isn't that an impressive feat." Minerva mused.
Yukino stepped off to the side shakily. "Uh…a-are we going to be okay?"
"Don't worry." Matilda smirked. "Don't forget who you're aligned with here. Nothing can get pass Broly's defense and Aniya's weaponry. This won't be a problem at all."
"Don't jinx it, sweet cheeks." Sawyer said.
The cabins of the ship rocked incredulously. With each projectile fired against Broly's barrier, it sounded like rain outside. Kinana was on her knees, holding onto the bunk where Erik was unconscious. In the same room, Kevin and a recently joined Meredy were holding onto a bunk each to make sure no one fell out.
"I hope they're okay out there." Kinana worried. She looked down towards Erik, seeing his expression of pain and anguish from his Dragon Slayer sickness.
The boat rocked again, leaving Meredy to grip to the leg of Sting and Rogue's beds. On them, Lector and Frosch volunteered to stay behind just in case. But even they were shaken up.
Frosch was quivering on Rogue's side, trying to restrain his worries but wasn't doing a good job. He was on the verge of tears even.
"It's gonna be okay, Frosch. Don't you worry." Lector assured on the top bunk. "We'll be alright, trust me."
Frosch stopped his whimpering and looked up. "Y-you sure?"
Lector nodded. "Positive." He looked back out the window, staring at the projectiles exploding constantly outside. 'I hope…'
The ships relentlessly assaulted, not bothering to stop anytime soon. As many of them fired, one of the soldiers on a deck looked up. "Huh?"
"What is it?" another asked.
The soldier pointed up confusedly. "Is it me, or is that a shooting star?"
The other soldier on a ship got closer and looked up as well. He couldn't explain it, but some sort of pressure was coming their way. It looked odd, but it had some sort of flame-like end to it. It came in so fast that it ripped through the pockets of the clouds. Any and all clouds dissipated away into nothing.
"Wh-what, it's coming in fast!" He worried. From closer, it looked like the comet of fire became blue flames instead. "Too fast…too fast…! Quick, fire! FI-!"
The blue fiery comet soared clean into the ship, ripping through the deck and straight out the bottom where the engine's lacrima shattered. A gleaming blue trail shimmered to a thin end as the blaze receded, and it seemed nothing happened. Moments later, the underside of the deck became to beam with flames, and the men aboard covered up and screamed as the ship outright exploded.
Meanwhile, as the explosion spread, something orange blazed skywards, passing another ship.
"What was that?!" a soldier registered the explosion.
Another soldier was distraught as the ship next to them exploded, but then some high humming caught his attention. When he turned around in question it was too late. "Huh-?!"
A spinning metallic torpedo shot at incredulous speeds that it ripped through three ships hauls, including their engines in a split second. As the torpedo kept going, the silence fell again before the engines and lower ends of the ships erupted in a fiery explosion, bringing them down next.
Ajeel gasped as the sound of explosions happened behind him. When he looked around, he saw the closest ships sinking in fiery fashion. His shock never ceased to surmount itself. He could actually feel a bead of sweat drip down the side of his face.
CRAW!"
A loud caw snapped him back to attention. An orange blur sailed right pass his lone ship, getting his eyes to snap open. "Is that…?" He turned his head around, seeing another brown and gray blur sail in an arch above lasers still aiming for the barrier. When he heard another caw, he turned and looked to see the orange blur soaring around again to attack another ship. The fiery bird he practically recognized, making his nerves crawl. "That bird…!"
A blur shot down in front of him.
BOOM!
The entire deck, including Ajeel, was blown away. Dust and debris of the wooden deck almost completely shattered to nothing, while at the same time unleashing powerful shockwaves that made any windows on the largest ship shatter. One by one, they all broke as the shockwaves pulsated. Ajeel yelped as he slammed against the cabin wall, making a powerful dent inside the wood.
He opened an eye through the dust, his teeth showing anger. "What the hell…?" He grunted as he pried himself out of the wall and onto his feet. He peered into the dust cloud, anger rising. "What the hell just happened?! Well?!"
A long pause of nothing came to pass, giving no reply to his outrage. It wasn't until moments later that he heard something else.
"…Ajeel."
The voice made Ajeel's eyes widened in shock. Something in his heart completely stopped him from moving all of a sudden. 'That voice…'
The dust finally cleared, revealing a pair of blue eyes that seared intense daggers into his sandy heart. Nic Pularis has arrived, and he was ready for battle, as he always was. And, as before, he was in a cross between his Sky Form and Splash Form. The way he was postured and hovering in the air while dust dissipated away from him and his pressure left Ajeel morally stunned.
"N-Nic Pularis?" he shakily replied. "You…?" He was cut off when Nic suddenly appeared above, his wings glowing via Wing Attack. Still stunned, Ajeel saw Nic swing down and crash his right wing the back of his head, immediately sending him crashing through the boarding of the ship into the lower levels.
Nic held his wing down for a moment before he inertly flapped gently higher and looked down. He waited a few seconds before getting a response from the darkness inside the hole he created that Ajeel plummeted through. A short moment receded until a geyser of sand shot straight up. It flowed at an alarming rate that its spout reached Nic's elevation. Within the sand geyser and Nic's tension, the air around them was steep with pressure.
The sand geyser slowly eroded out a head, revealing Ajeel's face with an outraged expression. "Lucky shot."
Nic didn't respond, instead, he glared.
"I was hoping I would find you or your pathetic Pokémon at some point. It's good to know that you came to me rather than the other way around."
"It didn't matter either way." Nic countered. "Knowing you, you probably wouldn't be satisfied until your pride was restored…along with your empire."
Ajeel's eyes narrowed in delight. "Damn right!" Streams of sand quickly shot out, but Nic disappeared before they could make contact. "I've been waiting for almost a year to get payback for you humiliating me twice! First you, and then that accursed dragon who dared to question the divine Desert King's power! Nobody gets away with questioning my worth and power!"
"That so…?" Ajeel gasped. When he looked up, he saw that Nic was straight above him, cloaked in a mixture of air and vapor from the atmosphere. All that churning pressure eroded into his back, more accurately, his tailbone. The water took over in a cyclone, creating Aqua Tail. "Then shut up and prove it!" he swung down.
"GLADLY!" Ajeel's sand body morphed into a jet of sand, which collided with the cyclone of water by Nic's attack. At that instant, the air expelled dust and mist together, which created shockwaves across the ship's atmosphere.
As rain and clumps of sand fell onto the deck, so did Ajeel in his physical form. He slammed on his back har, while Nic swiftly fell to his feet unhindered. He dropped his hand to the ground and took aim. Ajeel groaned, but opened and eye in time to see Nic opening his mouth. Startled, Ajeel morphed into sand and separated in a split second before Nic's Hydro Pump launched across the atmosphere. The massive torrent of water was like a huge pressurized wave that tore the boarding beneath, soon to blastclena through the cabin area. The attack continued as a beam outwards, dissipating into an array of sparkles from miles away into the rising sun.
The damage done was shown. Nic remained unfazed as he saw that he eliminated the entire cabin and leveled the ship's entire deck. He even tore off the sail from that powerful Water-type attack. As he looked forward, a blob of sand appeared behind him, where there, a smirk was seen inside. The smirking figure made an axe of sand, swing it horizontally for Nic's back.
"Ramal Fa'as!"
The double-edged axe closed in, but without having to look, Nic turned into water, leaving the sandy arm and axe to go through the residual water. Ajeel's eyes widened as he saw Nic's actions and his arm becoming dense. 'He dodged it…'
Reappearing from water below, a hand reached up and grabbed the dense sandy arm. Ajeel grunted as his body materialized into physical form and was thrown over Nic's shoulder, slammed hard into the deck with a bone-breaking thud. He gagged profusely as the shock went right into his spine, leaving him stunned while Nic maintained his grip.
His face was severely serious, more serious than ever. His very grip tightened on Ajeel, holding him down as a pillar of water swallowed the Sand Mage from below.
As the geyser of water became a massive mist cloud board the ship, there was another confrontation happening in the skies. Staraptor and Talonflame were cawing out as they soared, evading blasters and shouting soldiers from the ships they passed.
"Fire!" One of the captains ordered. The blasters on his ship unleashed projectiles streams that followed the two birds as they shot straight out and away. When the beam got close enough, as if on instinct, they bisected by splitting left and right, making sharp U-turns while the many beams instead hit the keel of the ship in front, causing it to explode.
As the ship in front literally went up in flames and sunk, many of the soldiers were shocked. "Sir, Number 15 was taken out, by…us!" one gasped.
The captain of the ship growled angrily. "Curses."
Talonflame soared around the ship again, her body giving a faint blue glow. "Acrobatics!" She zigzagged through the air at massive speeds, leaving blue streaks to follow her wake as she zipped straight through the right armored wing of the ship, causing it to erupt. With the one wing down, all of a sudden, the entire ship began to tilt off towards its right, causing many to hang onto something or otherwise slide over.
The ship next door was stable, but the crew looked completely bewildered as the ship was tilting towards them. The flyer of said ship was holding onto the steering wheel, but even he was shocked.
"What just-?!" A talon struck his back, zipping him into three other soldiers in a row that crashed into the planks of the side. Many more looked back at the origin to see Staraptor right in front of the steering wheel.
The avian cawed as she opened her talons and seized the steering wheel. She folded her wings and gained momentum for a full spin, hanging on like a parrot to its perch in a birdcage. After making a single turn, the entire ship began to slowly tilt in the direction of the waning ship.
One soldier ran at Staraptor, but when she finished her second turn, she used momentum and shot back skywards as the wheel kept spinning. The soldier grabbed hold and stopped it, but he couldn't stop the ship itself. "Huh?! AAAAH!"
The two ships tilted and collided with one another, their cannons and armament touching to making a massive blasé and explosions rattle the airspace. Meanwhile, as flames and eruptions billowed, Staraptor ascended up and away with ease, making a small arch to straighten up and look down at the damage she and Talonflame were doing.
Before she knew it, cannons were pointing up at her.
"Fire at that bird!" another captain roared. Following command, many of the cannons let loose long-range blasts skywards.
As the projectiles closed in one Staraptor, the avian only saw incoming dazzling lights. "Double Team!" She glowed white for a split second before blurs separated from her body, flashing into illusionary copies that evaded the incoming projectiles. The Staraptor clones all diverged in the same fashion she, Talonflame, and Nic did when shooting out, diving and swerving pass each and every barrage with supreme accuracy. Hardly even a clone was grazed.
As clones soared in between ships, the ships themselves made the mistake to open fore on each other. When some clones were hit, they vanished to reveal a projectile beam that many of soldiers screamed and wailed. As explosions ran about, the eruptive wake made clouds of flames billow behind the real Staraptor as she soared on with a bloodcurdling caw.
Ajeel was already on his stomach as he tried t catch his breath. He was battered so bad that it was hard for him to tell if the lack of oxygen was from being so high up or from Nic knocking him down a couple pegs. Either way, Nic looked down ready as Ajeel grunted. "…heh…those were just flukes!" he retorted.
Nic didn't respond.
Ajeel smirked. "What's the matter? Too tough to talk?" He suddenly whipped up a powerful dust storm around him and Nic. One wave brushed passed him, making him mold into the whirling sand itself. The cyclone of sand whipped and whirled around Nic as he remained stationed on the ground, glancing around to pick up traces of the opposing mage.
A loud, cackling snicker went through the mass of the grinding sand. As it flowed, so did the voice that echoed. "So you really think you can find me? Gods like us are untouchable, you know that! In this form, even you can't completely grasp me!"
Nic morbidly frowned. "'Us Gods', you say…" Suddenly, the pressure over the funnel of sand began to change. Over the expanse that was the wall of grains, a mass of swirling back clouds began to form. "Sorry if I had to be the one to say this, but as far as I see it, we're not Gods, neither of us are, no matter who, or how anybody sees it. We're nothing more than just two men, simple as that."
As he finished his statement, the black clouds above began to deliver a serious downpour, via Rain Dance. The attack began to pour dense water that enveloped the cyclone, causing it to become dense and slow down, much to Ajeel's shock. 'Gnnngh…what…? My sand is getting hard to maneuver.' He thought. 'It's…it's that accursed rain. Of course-!' If he had eyes, he could've widened them when he felt an intense pressure spin right beneath him in the form of water. He screamed loudly as water quickly took him over.
"Whirlpool!"
The cyclone of water surged like a miniature tornado all around Nic was within it, the grains of sand dissolved. Amongst the sand, Ajeel was once again brought to his original state, holding his breaths as the water dragged him swiftly and relentlessly. With the sand all gone, the cyclone of water shot Ajeel skywards, screaming in anguish as he tumbled through the air into the planks, making dust engulf his space.
Nic remained passively calm as rain fell over the ship, with the sunlight still peering from behind the actual clouds behind Ajeel, who shakily arose. He was hunched over, wincing as his entire body was enveloped in massive scrapes and bruises from Nic's perpetual assaults. What's worse, arose him, there was a small whirlpool of water fixing him in place. He was grunting as hard as he was glaring in angst.
"Now tell me, why do you think that you're a god?" Nic questioned. "What's your definition of these guys to begin with?"
Gajeel strained to break free, but as futile as it was, he heard Nic's question. "What are you, stupid?! A god is someone who never loses! Someone who has all the power he needs to crush anyone who stands in his way."
"That's more of a tyrant's outcry than anything else."
"Gnnngh! What do you know? You have all this power yet you don't use it for glory of war?!" Ajeel yanked to either side, but that proved worthless as well. "What's the point of power if you can't exercise it?!"
Nic's brow furrowed as he glared at the trapped Sand Mage. "Have you ever thought there was more to life than just war? It's not always about fighting. Don't get me wrong, I love to fight as much as the next guy, perhaps even more so…but there's a fine line that separates us, and that's what makes our love for battle questionable."
Ajeel smirked. "So then you admit you love to fight."
"I do…but the kinds I love aren't the ones I expect you to understand. At least not yet."
Ajeel tried to break free one more time, but he found no use to that. "Oh shut up!" he snapped, glaring seething daggers at his foe. "This coming from a man who made an enemy with the world and had to fight back?! You took what was rightfully ours! You, your little guild! Everything! What makes you think that your power is greater than the Desert King himself?!"
"Probably because unlike you, I consider my opponent's actions and motives…but if you're not listening now, then that's fine by us. If all you care about is fighting for its own sake, then that's fine by me."
"You sound just like my old man. It's so annoying." Ajeel painfully groaned. "Spouting on about crap like why, when I just want to! And you're saying that war itself is meaningless?! You're an even bigger dumbass than he is!"
"…yeah, maybe I am to you…" Nic answered. "But that's how you see it, and that's fine…but far be it from me to not show you why we fight."
Ajeel accepted Nic's challenge with a smirk. Even though he couldn't get outside the attack, he could still reach for his back. "So you really think that you understand me, do ya? That's a boast that I think proves that you're just arrogant. How's about I show you what I meant…" He pulled out a Poke Ball in front. "Is all about!"
Nic's eyes narrowed. He knew what was coming his way, but he opted to skip pointless talking and get to the action.
Ajeel whipped his arm back and threw it skywards. "Alright…kick his ass!" He threw the Poke Ball over the whirlpool, popping open to summon his Trapinch that landed in front of him. He opened his mouth a little to emit a low hiss. "Alright you little ant, kick this sucker's ass or so help me!"
The Trapinch nodded low in understanding. Nic saw the Trapinch's slow head nodding and had one of his gut feelings that it seemed too transparent. He moved his fingers to his mouth and emitted a loud, quick whistle that caught Staraptor's attention. Almost immediately, the bird flew right into the rain cloud, making a large flap to kick up wet puddles that dissipated around her. Once ready, she glared ahead, making a sharp red glare that made Trapinch shudder; not just from her overwhelming pressure, but from her Intimidate Ability, lowering his Attack stat.
Ajeel snickered. "Ready?"
"Evermore." Nic answered.
The projectiles of what remained of the few ships kept firing away, at either Talonflame, or against other missiles that Aniya fired, or against Broly's barrier, which still was far from going down.
"Keep it steady, Broly." Orion said. "Don't let them damage the wings or haul."
"Got it. HRAAAH!" Broly gave out a loud roar as he concentrated his magical power into the massive barrier. The whole thing became much wider as it stretched out on either side. The blast waves tried to get about the shield, but alas to no avail.
Joey looked around, completely in awe of Broly molding his shield again. "Woah, he's actually molding something this big?!"
"Damn, that's crazy!" Gray exclaimed.
"Don't get too excited now!" Broly shouted back. "It may be impenetrable, but this guy's range can only go so far! Gotta make sure we don't down so easily either, ya hear?!"
As he was keeping the barrier up, more and more ships tried fruitlessly to attempt and get their shots in, but the barrier, even if molding horizontally, didn't budge. It was frustrating. One soldier was manning one cannon on a fellow ship, and he was hardly getting volleys in.
"Damnit, sir! That thing ain't going down!" He wanted to know what to do, but no orders came. "Sir!" He looked over, but what he saw was a petrified captain.
The captain shakily pointed skywards out towards north. "L-look out!"
"Take cover!" another soldier leaped to the planked floor.
The soldier manning the one cannon with both hands looked towards the warning, which turned out to be an intense flaming comet, via Flare Blitz. The soldier gasped before he flinched, while the flaming comet went clean through the ship's center, wings and all.
As the entire ship was engulfed in flames by the erupting blast wave of Talonflame's attack passing through, the cannon and the pilot of the weapon on the one end felt his side breaking off. He clutched on tight, bracing for what might be a terrible fall. As he readied for such a thing, he opened one eye, gasping as he saw underneath, as he was starting to plummet, the barrier's range stopped in front of the keel, where the engine was.
Initiating what could be his final duty, he kept one eye open as he went through the lock-on signal. As the ship broke into flaming pieces, he took careful aim, and fired from the cannon, one last projectile beam blitzed skywards towards the engine.
BOOM!
The lone projectile met its mark, making a shuddering wake underneath the massive cruiser that enveloped that one part in flames. The whole ship even wobbled, shuddering as everything inside shook up good, including Lisanna and Elfman, as they were trying to keep the Pokémon cages from falling out of line. Elfman was lucky to have caught some.
On deck, the structure wobbled everyone, making almost all of them loose balance.
"W-whoa! What the heck was that?!" Lucy snapped.
"Shit! Don't tell they got the engine!" Griffon cursed.
Jellal steadied the best he could and rushed over to the side; Bellona soon to follow. Both gripped onto the side and peered over. They saw a large cloud of smoke coming from underneath, and what sounded like churning coming to a slow halt. "It's down!" Jellal warned. The ship shuddered once more, getting to almost lose balance.
Slowly, the momentum of the ship began to work against them. The whole thing began to tilt downwards, and everyone aboard tried to hang on as the end of the slightly damage bow began to fall into the inside of the barrier. The whole structure's front grinded against the indestructible barrier, taking off even more pieces of its refined front.
"You've gotta be kidding me, damnit~!" Aniya cried out with the whole group.
As Joey and Dereece were holding the other tightly and comically wailing for their lives, Duncan used his kendo stick and plunged it into the planks as an anchor. Meanwhile, in the background, Liz held on, still chewing gum instead of screaming.
With Broly hanging on and losing focus, he grunted in frustration. The shuddering was not helping as it made him undo his massive barrier, leaving them open to the last few ships to attack.
"OPEN FIRE!" One brave captain pointed ahead. Responding, the cannons on the few ships remaining fired whatever they had, unleashing projectile beams that zoomed freely at them.
Everyone covered up as they hurried towards the upper deck, running while other were blown upwards by the eruptions of magical beams hitting the sides and front of the ship. Each one never ended, and neither did the suffering that was to come.
Ajeel's smirk widened. "Then go! Use Sand Tomb!" Trapinch did as told and his eyes glowed bright green. His head arose, and beneath Staraptor, what looked like a mess of sand and dirt stirred around in a funnel like Whirlpool was for Ajeel, surrounding Staraptor and keeping her trapped inside. "Heh, just try and get out of that." He dared. "Anything that it touches is trapped just like my…!" He trailed off, his concentration broken by something off. "Huh?"
Nic's stare was so intense that it made it seem he wasn't fazed at all. It left Ajeel even more unsound when he looked inside the attack. Inside, if one looked closely in between the lines of sand, a red glare showed unfazed determination.
"Staraptor!"
Staraptor brought her wings back inside the Sand Tomb, making a short but loud huff as she flapped her powerful wings once, immediately dissipating the sand. It all scattered pass Trapinch and Ajeel, making both wince in shock.
The Sand Mage looked back, completely shocked. "What? But how did…?"
"Ground-type moves have no effect on Flying-type Pokémon." Nic answered. "That goes for your sand as well."
Ajeel gasped in sudden realization. When he thought about it, he was fuming on occasion of why when he and Nic first thought that his attacks unable to hit meant something was wrong. 'Wait, hold on a sec. Doesn't that involve that 'type' crap he-!'
"Now it's our turn!" Nic enforced. "Staraptor, Steel Wing!" Staraptor's wings glowed and she spread them, making airwaves pulsated when they tightened. Once accomplished, she zoomed in as an alarming blur.
Ajeel gasped in shock. "Hurry, stop it! Rock Slide!"
Trapinch raised his head towards the rainy clouds. Before he could make do with starting, Staraptor's wing slammed a force so strong that it left Trapinch in a moment's worth of suspense. It looked like it was just a bump to the head but moments later, Trapinch floored so hard that the planks beneath dented inwards. A shockwave picked up Trapinch as he sailed uncontrollably over the Whirlpool and into Ajeel, thudding so hard that the trapping attack dissipated.
Dust receded, and Ajeel was seen on his back groaning as Trapinch laid on his lap with swirly eyes unable to battle. His eyes widened in shock. "No way!"
A foot stepped forward. Ajeel gasped as he looked up. He saw Nic with Staraptor behind him, and both looked so fierce and yet so calm that it was alarming.
Ajeel recoiled in shock, he reached out ahead to thwart Nic, but fear was taking him over. "Wha-n-no! Stay away! Stay away!"
As Nic closed in, his clutched fist was pulled back. The Rain Dance still went on, making the churning water in Nic's fist enlarge to a claw-shaped mechanic that he raised over Ajeel petrified face.
"No…! NOOOO!"
With nothing to say to the enemy, Nic let out a shrilling roar as he thrust clean down onto Ajeel's face. The moment he made impact, the entire deck collapsed from the force of the pressure. "Crabhammer~!" The deck shredding apart was followed by the entire shock imploding by a massive shockwave of water that ran downwards, pressure forcing wood and the gliders to shred up. It all crumbled to pieces, pieces of which that were swept up in a powerful maelstrom of pressure that Nic created.
As the cloud of mist enveloped the atmosphere, surrounded by a large enough piece of wood, a distilled Ajeel looked with one ghastly eye open as he fell to unconsciousness, with the last few ships falling right beside him in fiery glory. He looked up through the mist cloud, but he couldn't see Nic through it. It was a strange feeling that overcame him, but one could've assumed that it was because he was blacking out.
He was feeling many things as he plummeted; disappointment, anger, frustration, shock, and most certainly, distaste. He wanted to see the face of the man who beat him two time now, three if counting Garchomp. He just wanted revenge for his pride, was that too much to ask for? Was he really deserving this?
As these questions boggled his mind, he passed through a cloud, vanishing from sight.
Watching from far away, on the balcony gardens of massive estate where the castle sat for the empire, Yajeel heard a small rupture once more as he saw the many flaming debris fall from the distance. As Wingull sat on his stave's top, it looked down at him in wonder to see his head droop in shame. The old man could feel a small pain in his shriveled chest at the thought of his grandson.
Above the mist cloud, the rain that was pouring in the one area stopped. With the battle won, Nic flapped in the air alongside Staraptor, who clutched the unconscious Trapinch in its talons to prevent a needless fail. As Nic looked down at the cloud, he knew from the low pressure that Ajeel was defeated. Even if he wanted to say something at the end as a last remark, he knew he was an enemy, a foe who didn't ask for his opinion nor condolences.
He just wanted a fight, and that's the respect Nic gave him. The best lessons are the hard-learned ones.
Looking around, debris fell everywhere in the atmosphere as they processed the last of the ships were taken out. A caw came from the side, revealing to be Talonflame, who joined up with them. "Talonflame, you okay?"
Though a little banged up from a few close calls, Talonflame nodded. "Of course!" She looked over towards Staraptor, who had the Trapinch in her clutches. "What is that?"
Staraptor looked down at the unconscious Ant Pit Pokémon. "…someone who needed saving." She answered.
Nic empathized with his Staraptor's statement with a nod. A loud thunder-like sound echoed from behind, getting him to look over his shoulder in wonder. Staraptor and Talonflame saw as well, and what they saw was shock.
The ship they were on had smoke coming out of a few holes the bow had sustained, and the backside was smoking profusely. Everyone was onboard and hanging on tightly, and altogether, they saw the entire ship beginning to dive downwards, with all screaming in anguish.
A hitch in his breath erupt. "HANG ON!" On instinct, he folded his wings and dove downwards at massive speeds. "Staraptor!" Quickly, Staraptor followed, with Talonflame in hot pursuit. They all zipped at incredible divebombing speeds that made them break sound barriers yet again.
Air pressure roared as the ship plummeted like a rock. It was a rather slow fall, but nonetheless, it was an unpleasant one, like anyone would be. On it, a lot of people screamed; Dereece especially. "MOMMY~~!" the man cried wildly.
With his brow furrowing, Joey stood up once again. "There's only one thing to do now…" Seemingly knowing that answer, her turned towards his best friend. "Dereece…HOLD ME!" He hopped into his friend's arms as both cried to the heavens in their fall.
Inside the cabins, everything was shaking up badly. Many of the things, even the Dragon Slayers themselves, were all caught in free fall. Lector and Frosch looked down shocked as they found themselves detached from the bunks with Sting and Rogue. This only served to freak Kinana and Meredy out.
"We're floating?!" Kinana shrieked.
"Are we in free fall?!" Meredy exclaimed.
Kevin reached over, grabbing a wooden leg of a bed and pulling himself down towards it. "Everyone, grab onto something!" Almost immediately, he found himself being a magnet to Kinana and Meredy as they wrapped their arms around him. With eyes wide at first, he tried to register until a prideful smirk slithered onto his face. "This'll do~." He chimed.
On the deck, Matilda was using her claws to anchor herself, and others were faring no less of their own troubles. Eventually though, they finally popped out of the clouds, where down below, they could see the enormous lake.
Nic followed, down the cloud coverage, where he looked down below. 'They're going right for the lake.' He peered down, seeing dark blue depths that were hardly visible. 'This is bad! Gotta do this right!' He made one final fold, pulsing into a steeper dive with Staraptor and Talonflame.
The three made a harsh landing on the planks with everyone, surprising a majority of the group.
"Nic!" Vanessa exclaimed.
"NIC-SENPAI~! SAVE US!" Joey comically wailed, wavy tears running down his face.
Nic crouched and steadied on the ship. "We need magic that'll help break the fall! We're going to need either a bunker, or something to repel our propulsion completely!" He looked towards his right, his ideas happening again. "Kagura!"
"On it!" The swordswoman moved her sword so that its sheath faced the deck. When she drove it onto the wood, the air all around them was expelling an outward force that went outside the ship. Suddenly, a massive rumbling from below made the ship shudder and slow down, steadying out anyone who was in free fall.
Inside, the girls all balanced out, much to Kevin's hidden dismay.
Lector eyes were covered by his paws. "I-is it over…?" He shakily asked, with Frosch right beside him, shaking like he was thawed out of ice.
Carla groaned as she got up from her knees. "What just happened?"
Pantherlily looked around. "Are we still in the air?"
Wide-eyed, Joey and Dereece looked forward, then at each other. They both blinked once, then twice, and they hurriedly rushed out of each other's arms and went towards the edge. When they peered over, their disbelief mounted as they saw the entire ship stationary in midair.
"What the heck man?!" Dereece snapped. "Is the ship still sailin'?!"
"I-I'm not sure…" Joey shakily turned towards the others. "Uh, i-is it really…her doing?" He pointed towards Kagura, who still was on a knee and concentrating. She looked to be straining if the sweat on her face meant anything.
Duncan glanced over, keeping his calm. "This levitation?"
"To be more accurate, it's her Gravity Change." Lyon corrected. "It's quite a nifty trick if I must admit, though I suppose there are better times to reminisce than now."
"Ya think?!" Gray and Ultear snapped together.
"Kagura, nice and steady now." Erza warned.
"Yeah, I know…" she strained, her breath inhaling a bit. "Everyone stay put, alright?! I'm gonna lessen the gravity! Hang on!" As she stated, she turned her grip on her sword, causing a drastic shift in power. The ship shuddered again, rattling many people as the huge flying machine lowered lower to the tip of the shores of the lake. Slowly, meter by meter, the ship eventually lowered its creaking, smoking bottom into the water, causing a massive wake that rippled water all around. The smoke dialed down, and many of the passengers finally calmed down…well, most at least.
Looking around left and right, Joey and Dereece turned their heads left and right, making sure they hit water this time. Once they processed it, they looked at each other and paused. "…WE'RE ALIVE!" Both wailed as they embraced the other happily, laughing all the way.
Nic sighed in great relief. His head lowered as a wave of relief calmly rushed over him. He looked down, glowing back into himself. "Well, that could've gone better." He muttered. He looked over, checking on his wife. "Erza, are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine." She answered.
"That's good."
Matilda's stiffness eased as she fell on her belly, groaning like a tired-out puppy. "Aw man, that was a little too much adrenaline for my liking…" she groaned exhaustedly. "I think I'm gonna crash for a bit."
"Yeah, that makes two of us…" Griffon sighed, falling onto his butt.
Orion looked around at his teammates, seeing behind that Liz was steadying along the side, and Aniya was no different as she shook her head. Looking at Broly, the Barrier-Make Mage looked towards him to see he was also well. "Looks like we've made it out of the thick of it for the time being." He detailed. "But I still say we're far from safe."
"He's right. Let's get to shore, and quick while we're at it." Gray said. "Juvia."
"Right." Using her magic, Juvia controlled the water beneath the damaged ship. It coursed through the basin with a nice, steady push as Juvia guided them to land.
The ship soon reached shore, the one end still deep in the water. The damaged wreck stuck out as everyone got off and made it to land. The Dragon Slayers, however, were still recovering from the extra rude awakening.
Natsu lurched behind bushes, gagging contents out as Happy patted his back. "There, there. It's all over now." He comforted through Natsu's coughing.
"I…don't think I can see colors anymore…" Rogue laid on his side, sacked out pretty bad.
Yukino crouched down and comforted their backs, hoping to ease him and Sting right next to him. "Take it easy, you guys. You don't have to go through that anymore, I promise."
"Eh, don't jinx it too soon now." Lector intervened nervously. "We still got a ways to go."
Pantherlily finished placing the groaning Gajeel on his back. "That may be…" he turned his head up. "But look."
Everyone turned to what he meant. The ship that they used was a complete wreck, literally. Holes were blown through basically the entire front of the haul. The bow was almost broken completely, and along the sides were damaged dents and scraped all about. The wings were also damaged, making it appear it wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.
"Well this ain't a good sign." Griffon commented.
Matilda had hands to her sides. "Yeah, tell me about it. I can't even tell we rode on that thing. It got blown up pretty good."
Broly lowered his head in shame. "I'm sorry guys. I should've been more focused on the bottom. This is on me."
Dereece walked up and put a hand on the man's shoulder. "Hey, lighten up man. It's not all your fault now. Those soldiers just got, eh…lucky, is all."
"Regardless of that, I'm afraid that doesn't change our current condition." Macbeth stated. "We're now down aerial transportation, which means that our surprise advantage is lost."
"Like we had that anyway." Sorano did an eyeroll.
"So what do we do now?" Meredy worried.
"I'm afraid there isn't much choice in the matter." Jellal intervened. "It looks like we'll have to go by foot from here on."
"That it seems." Bellona replied. "And here I thought seeing their faces with us arriving so eloquently would be worth it. Such wishful thinking now." She exaggerated a huff of disappointment.
Over on the side, while everyone was mulling over their stranded position, Nic was over near the trees. Away from everyone else, he looked down at the Trapinch he held. Looking at him now, he seemed quite well for a fact. After Staraptor handed him to the Trainer, he and Erza returned their avian friends to their Poke Balls, and even though it was consequential, it felt morally wrong to just let the Trapinch go without injury. Erza used a Revive, and Nic gave it a Sitrus Berry earlier, giving the Ground-type the strength needed to stand again. Once out in the open, the Pokémon looked up at Nic as he gave a calm vibe. "It's alright now. There's no need for you to be so defensive." He assured, kneeling down to the weary Trapinch. "I'm sorry you had to go through all that, but I hope that you can find it to forgive us."
"I…It's fine…" Trapinch sheepishly lowered his guard. For some reason, by Nic's tone, he felt relieved. Still overwhelmed, but relieved he wasn't going to get yelled at.
"You're free now, we won't do anything to you like the Alvarez might have done. We're here to help guys like you…so you better get going now." With his last words, the Trapinch nodded and turned away. He lowered his head and began to burrow into the dirt, showing his Dig. As he tunneled out of sight, Nic turned towards Erza, who smiled and nodded at his actions. Nic returned the common gestures, and both walked over to the group's next action plan.
"So what do we have to go off of? We're not exactly prepared for something like this." Yukino wondered.
Sawyer snickered. "Got that right. If you ask me, should've come with a little manual on what to do if you get shot from the sky."
Mest looked out ahead where the sun was rising. "The Alvarez knows we're already here if they sent that fleet in our direction, and I can probably guess that it won't be long that they'll sent more our way. That being said…" he looked over his shoulder at everyone. "I think it's best that we divide ourselves up for the time being."
A majority of the people looked shocked, though Brandish was less than amused. "Is this a joke? What does splitting up have to do with this?"
"Hey, easy now. Let's just hear him out." Lucy insisted.
"I'm saying that it's probably best that we divide up into just two groups." Mest clarified. "One group will go from here to the empire, while another group stays behind as reinforcements."
"Not to mention that there's something worth protecting on that ship." Everyone looked over to the addition, seeing that it was Nic who spoke up.
"Nic, perfect timing." Gray smirked.
"Don't forget, this ship still has Pokémon on it that they're molding into weapons. If we all went together, the shipwreck would be unguarded, and they could send a couple soldiers around the area to seize them."
"I can just shrink it if it'll just make things easier." Brandish suggested. "It'll make things less of a pain."
Nic furrowed his brow at the green-haired mage. While she was right about her powers being useful in a situation like this, there were still those drawbacks that could still be drawn into consideration. "I get what you're saying, Brandish…but it sounds too easy if you ask me."
"Explain."
"Odds are that they're expecting you. If they capture you, that means they've captured all the Pokémon, too. It's not that I don't like the idea, it's just a lot at stake here."
Brandish sighed and turned away. "How boring you are, Nic."
A pair of footsteps came up with swaying hips. Many turned to see Ultear stepping up; many of whom like Kevin raised a brow beneath his sunglasses. "If it's all the same, I think I could be of some help to the support group."
"You sure about this, Ultear?" Jellal asked.
The Time Mage smiled. "Don't get all dramatic on me now. I'm merely suggesting that with my Time Magic, I can also make repairs to this dented rubble. It would be wise to have an escape route now, wouldn't it?"
Gray's eyes widened in realization. "Hey yeah, you got a point. I forgot you could do that stuff."
"Maybe, but this is kinda different, Gray." Meredy replied.
"What are you saying?" Juvia inquired.
Meredy looked towards her. "This metal is able to resist magic, so it takes a lot more power out of Ultear to fix even one spot. I hate to say it, but I think we might need a better plan to…"
"I'll stay behind."
Everyone turned to look around in confusion at the voice. It took a few moments, but after hearing a loud snap of air from popping, all eyes went towards Liz as she presented herself. "Liz?" Aniya gasped.
The Gum Mage shrugged. "Yeah. Besides…" she tapped her magic headphones, which were now around her neck rather than her ears. "I can hear from here too, you know. If something's up and you need Telepathy, just shoot. I'll know."
Orion nodded in understanding. "Alright then, anymore volunteers?"
Matilda stepped up stretching overhead. "Guess I'll kick back. Would be a shame if I let loose too much before we get to the real fun." She snickered with a wide grin.
Meredy's brow folded as she stepped up next. "I'll stay behind, too."
"Meredy." Juvia gasped. Unknowingly from afar, Lyon smirked at this decision. He wouldn't want to see her get hurt right before his eyes. Though, like Juvia, he knew he had to keep focus and move forward.
"I'll be alright back here as well." Vanessa volunteered. "My Aura Magic will make for radar for the ship."
Orion glanced around. "Anyone else?"
All around, people were waiting to see who would step up, but a lot of them felt like being on frontlines. By no means were the Dragon Slayers staying on the boat, and Nic was essential to this, just as much as anyone else in the operation. In this light, as Joey looked around, he seemed distressed about the situation. He looked towards his teammates; Duncan looking like he couldn't give any less crap than he does now, and Dereece, who was still shaken up from that attack. And when he thought about his situation, and how he didn't have magic compared to even Kevin, his face fell as he dejectedly accepted the facts. "…the…The Freaks volunteer, to stay behind…" he said.
"R-really, Joey?!" Dereece gasped. He was actually surprised at his noble decision.
"Hmph. Well what do you know, the Captain actually made a wise decision for once." Duncan snorted.
Erza walked in front of Joey, seeing his face fell. "Are you sure about this?"
Joey swallowed a lump and nodded. "I…I don't have magic, and I'm still trying to get experienced with my Chespin and Pidove…so really I think maybe we should stay here and, you know, look after things…?" There was a kernel of wisdom in Joey's words, but in his head and heart, he felt morally deprived. It was strange to feel, but after narrowly escaping that, he had to take a little more responsibility, at least for himself. He nearly peed his grass skirt for crying out loud. He wanted to prove to Nic and Erza and Vanessa that he was strong, but a guy has to have his limits. With these weaponries and this Magic Power, it was clear where he lied in the food chain.
Erza saw this inside his gaze, and gave the Trainer a warm smile. "Well Joey, I think you're going to be just fine."
Joey gasped at her words. "R-r-really?!"
"I have no doubt. I think the decision you made was a wise one. We understand how you feel, but keep in mind, this is a battle we must win, and every key element is needed in place." She put her hand onto his shoulder. "Don't think of yourself as inferior nor a liability. You have done more than enough for us in this mission. Take pride in that. Those Pokémon will be relying on you more than us."
"Erza-senpai…" Hearing her inspiring words, the doubt in Joey's gaze began to fade. His cheery smile returned to his face. "Okay, I won't let you down!" he mockingly saluted. Another hand suddenly pressed on his shoulder, surprising him. When he looked up, he saw that it was Broly.
"Now that's a step in the right direction!" the Barrier-Make smirked. "You've got a conscience kid." He pointed thumb to himself. "And just for good measure, I think I'll stay behind as well. My barriers could come in handy in a tight spot like this after all."
Nic nodded. "We're counting on you. All of you."
Broly smirked. "As are we. Now get your asses moving before they come around."
"Understood." Orion looked at the team. "It's time we make our move. There isn't a glimpse of sun to be wasted. Let's hurry!"
"Right." Nic's glare hardened against the sun. He knew where their destination lied, and he wasn't going give up until the bitter end. This is his fight. It's their fight. And this fight this time, they take to them.
The group that took to their heels made quick work in getting into the woods. Unknowingly, they were unaware of circumstances as their images were seen through a crystal ball in a conference room, where Hoshina loomed over it in silence with the remaining Spriggans watching.
Invel loomed in silence for a few more moments before closing his eyes. "So I take it that Ajeel was defeated, I see."
Hoshina's hidden stare had a half-grin. "As foreseen."
"Then it would mean we are now down 1 of the 12 Spriggans." Jacob noted. Beside him, Dekken nodded in understanding.
"Aw man~. Well isn't that a downer." Lia mockingly pouted. "Well, I guess he scores some brownie points for taking down their nice little ride."
"Emperor Neinhart…" Invel looked towards the emperor sitting next to him, waiting for a proper response.
A looming silence fell across the atmosphere as Neinhart was hunched over in his seat, his gaze directly on the crystal ball. More accurately, certain individuals who were in sight. A zoom-in on the trees revealed something swift moving above the rest. When the figure jumped to another tree, it showed Nic, forming a smirk on Neinhart's face. "Interesting…" he sneered. "Lady Erza and Nic are coming to us of their own free will. Magnificent…" His head arose to look at the massive chandelier that hung above their heads. 'Lady Irene, your last request by you, it shall come to pass. And this time, we are truly prepared to face the greatest threat that the Spriggan 12 has been designed for.'
"Emperor Neinhart."
Invel's voice rung a distress that shook Neinhart of his wonders. "Huh? What is it, Invel?" he rudely asked.
"I asked what are we to do about Ajeel? Shall we send a retrieval squad to him and the survivors?"
Neinhart eyerolled. "Hmph, don't waste your breath. That fool was worthless from the start. He grounded them, and that's all that he was good for really."
"Well that's not harsh at all." Lia chimed with right amount of sarcasm.
Dimaria supported her head with her palm. "Knowing him, he probably was too excited to know the consequences. Why am I not surprised?"
"Isn't that a noteworthy truth." Jacob sneered. "And now he's gone and left us a big mess right on our doorstep. So who's going to go clean it up?"
Neinhart's dark glare equaled his wily smirk. "Heh, oh Glynda…"
"Yes, your majesty." Glynda stood up from her seat with eyes shut, waiting for a directive in a sassy pose.
"Do us all a favor and go fetch our freshly delivered packages, would you? And, if they don't hand them over to you, then make them."
Glynda bowed. "Very well, if you insist…your majesty."
Jacob cleared his throat loudly as he adjusted his tie. "If I may?" Everyone turned towards him in silence. "Ms. Glynda, shall I have the 3 Machia Knights offer aid in your voyage? I assure you, they are well prepared."
Glynda looked away, folding her arms in disinterest. "If it won't be considered a hindrance along the way, Jacob…then I'll allow it. I'd rather not make the mistake of underestimating our adversaries, unlike certain people." She shot a look at Jacob. While she meant the comment for Ajeel, she didn't exclude Jacob for his past doings. "Honestly, even your own quirks I can't help but pity." She admitted.
"Then it would seem that we are set." Invel stated. "I shall ready the citizens for a Level 3 class shutdown."
"Yes, please do." Neinhart raised his arms high with a grand smile. "Let them have a backrow seat to the beauty of our renewed power! Those pathetic fairies and their ringleaders will look ugly compared to the beauty of our new forces! My Spriggans…let us show what happens to those who dare question our power!"
Lia hummed at the prospect of meeting the new faces. "Not to brag or anything, but I've been wondering what they may taste like? I feel they'll be…" She licked her lips with her long tongue, leaving it coated in saliva. "Filling."
"I am looking forward to when Nic comes." Jacob glared, veins popping out of his darkened expression. This time, he swears to put a bullet right through his head.
Dekken, as expected, remained silent, but beside him, Pluto had palms together as the small planet-like projectiles behind him floated in a small orbit. "May the stars watch over us this fight. May the moons and stars shine day and night their strength for us all."
Sindge snarled in delight, his fangs showing behind his mummified face. Hoshina took in a cigarette and breathed out smoke if a sigh. For Dimaria, she was occupied with a frown, the thought of Brandish on her mind. That image was making her brow furrow in angst that she had to deal with. Coincidentally, another person she thought of in flames crossed her minds. She could feel a shiver run down her spine as she recalled his terror. 'This time, I'm not going to lose Randi to him.'
Neinhart arose from his seat. "Well then, to my remaining Spriggans…prepare for a greeting that no one will ever forget!"
Minutes after the meeting was over, Glynda walked impatiently down the corridor, her high heels tapping loudly as she trudged along. "Honestly, that emperor has no class whatsoever." She scorned to herself as she walked. "How someone so spacious and gives to no second opinion about the consequences of these decisions can rise up to power is beyond me. If I gad a right mind, I would've spoken to Invel about these decisions he has to make for the emperor." She stopped beside a massive door, giving a defeated sigh. "But, in spite of this, he is still my emperor." She treaded off from her thoughts as a small thud was heard on the other side of the door. She looked over at the massive door knowing what was on the other side. 'Well, better to have my personal lieutenant to lend his support in this fight. I trust his own set of skills aren't anywhere near as disgracing as Pluto's was.' She opened the double doors, seeing a battle waged on the other end.
"Use Ember!" A flare enveloped a Karrablast's face as it sailed on its back into the smoothly cemented ground. As it attempted to stand, a stubby dull yellow foot stepped forward.
The creature battling was a Numel, and as it glared at his opponent, a person stood behind it. "Is that all? I would've expected that to knock it out, especially after seeing how it did with the last six. C'mon" The man ordering for more work was a considerably tall and muscularly built man. He has short light yellow spiky hair with sharp red eyes. The left side of his face had scattered fragments of what looked like cement or pebbles that ran up the shoulder and down to his left arm's wrist. He adorned a red bead necklace around the neck and on the right wrist. He wore a massive gray robe with nothing covering the left side that even went as far as cover the knees, where further down below had on white long socks beneath sandals. "Again!" he snapped. "Take your position!"
"Yes, sir." Numel took his position again, readying to attack.
Karrablast stood up once more and shook her head. Once all set, she glared ahead and aimed her horn down, readying for Fury Attack. She lunged off the round, zipping swiftly at Numel.
"Numel, dodge." He ordered. Numel did as told and jumped backwards, dodging Karrablast's horn as it blasted into the ground where he stood, making a smoke cloud.
Once Numel landed, he knew what came next.
"Ember!" The Trainer commanded.
Immediately, Numel opened his mouth, unleashing another blanket of sparks and embers at the dust cloud, hitting Karrablast in a loud orange flare. As the flare diminished, it showed the Bug-type unable to battle, eyes being big swirls.
The big guy gave a prideful smirk. "That's more like it. 7 in a row. That's a streak I can live with." His attention went towards the magical power behind him. Looking over, he saw his master standing at the entrance with arms folded, like she was waiting forever. Immediately he turned fully in shock. "Mistress Glynda. Fancy seeing you here." He joked.
Glynda ignored her subordinate's easygoing greeting and got right down to it. "Bulcan, I am requesting your power, so listen well…"
In the lands outside the kingdom, there was a massive stretch of wasteland separating the kingdom from the massive forest. It was so bare that some could mistake it for Route 13 of the Kalos Region if references implied. But at the moment, it wasn't so barren with all the debris and remains of fallen ships scattered about everywhere.
Through the crackling of small flames and piles of wreckages, from a crack in the pile, a small stream of sand poured out, siphoning down to a crater-like spots where it could pool. From another spot, another stream of sand poured. More and more sand poured down openings in the wreckage like miniature streams going down a mountain. It flowed to the base, where the sand eventually created a pool big enough to fit someone. Once the sand stopped pouring, there was a long silence that followed. Suddenly an arm shot up with an open palm. It shook violently with scrapes and blood all over it. The appendage dropped to the sand, where a shoulder rolled to the top of the sand, followed by a head and a chest increasing for air. Ajeel was wide-eyed as he gaped towards the sky, his lungs relieved at long last. He used his arms to support himself as he gaped and breathed like a fish out of water. He couldn't make heads or tails of what just happened, but he sure as hell knew that from how his bones and body were broken like sand clumps, he knew he had lost.
His hands soon lost hold and he fell to his back again. Laying on the sand like a mattress, the Sand Mage was slowly catching his breath as he was processing his defeat. He looked up at the sky, unable to look anywhere else from neck strain.
"Now tell me, why do you think that you're a god?" Nic questioned. "What's your definition of these guys to begin with?"
The sound of Nic's inquiry from earlier rung through his mind, making his teeth grind like sand. What did he know about gods? He was one…right? Gods never lose to such inferior mortals who never had power of their own. He always won, until Nic ruined his streak and made a mockery. How did he lose so miserably? Was he even a god anymore? How could someone like him lose so easily?
"So then you admit you love to fight."
"I do…but the kinds I love aren't the ones I expect you to understand. At least not yet."
'The ones I don't understand? What did he even mean…?' He wasn't stopping his thoughts from going about haphazardly, they were going by their own accord. He didn't want to care, he didn't want to listen even to what Nic had to say. Could that be how he lost? He was always a man of action and battle pleasure. Nothing but the rush of his superiority to show them he had no equal. He had but one meaning: To prove he was truly strong to all. He never had any other reason to fight. Nothing else mattered. Could that be where the answer lied?
"Have you thought of who the enemy is?" Now it was his grandfather's voice he was hearing. He was lost in his deep conscience; too deep to go back on his own thoughts. 'The real enemy…? God, can't these people make any sense?' He stopped for a moment as he mentally gasped as the pieces were put together. Then came a big question, something that even he couldn't help but question.
Just what were they fighting for?
Pride? Revenge? Power? All three were the biggest factors that the empire wanted. That's the sole reason they were created after all. Their power was absolute. Nobody could tell them what to do. The decisions they make were of refined calculations. What use was fighting for anything but that reputation? His gaze turned sour as he was recalling more of his grandfather's words solemnly.
"Ajeel…someday if you really consider the voices of those around you, you might hear things that may impact what you want to do."
'The real enemy we're fighting, huh…?' He was brought out of his train of thoughts when a caw got his attention. He looked up, seeing Yajeel's Wingull glide circles high over his head. 'Old man…'
In the massive forest that many traveled through, a loud stomach growl echoed through the high trees. "Ooooh…" Natsu groaned as he clutched his stomach. "Man, when was the last time I ate anything? I feel like a hollow log." he whined.
"Quit your whining, would ya? You're gonna make me starve!" Gajeel retorted.
"All of you quit complaining, alright?!" Griffon snapped. "We get it, you were too sick to eat on the ship. Don't go making us deaf on your growling stomachs alright? We'll find rations in the Capital, alright?"
"Speaking of which, when will we be there?" Lucy turned towards Mest, seeing as how he was there before.
The Teleportation Mage kept a stern lead. "About another 8 kilometers from here. There's a stretch of bare land ahead that separates the Capital from this forest. We should be getting close to it by now."
"We better be, because this walking's getting pretty boring." Aniya argued, hands behind her head.
"Well hey, it's not all that bad." Kinana insisted. "It's good to be on our feet again after those two rides we had, right Erik?" She turned towards the Poison Dragon Slayer, who smirked to her.
"Yeah, ain't that the truth."
Aniya shot a dark glare at the two snake-lovers. She couldn't be anymore repulsed than how she already was with just them. She didn't want to be in a predicament like this, and she most certainly did not want to be around people like them who can take pleasure in long, scaly reptilian fiends that left her scorned. When a shadow passed over her head, she looked up to find that it was gone. It must have been Nic. Even more, her glare sharpened in deeper disgust at her assumptions. If it weren't for Orion, she'd probably have guns to their heads and questioning them fruitlessly.
"You think Meredy and Vanessa will be alright back on the ship?" Juvia worried beside a half-naked Gray.
The Ice-Make Mage walked calmly beside her. "I wouldn't worry too much. Those two got out of tougher situations than this."
"As true as that may be, Gray, I think that it was in our best interest to ensure their safety." Lyon prodded in between, startling them both.
Juvia leaned away in shock, and Gray snapped in surprise. "Crap! Where did you come from?!"
Lyon ignored the inquiry and smirked. "Why, the very thought of little sweet Meredy fighting beside us is truly a big step, wouldn't you say. However, if anything were to befall, there would be little to keep myself from taking action. If I were to happen under circumstances, I'm sure Meredy would rush to my side." He could see in now in his mind, the idea of him laying on the battlefield and Meredy picking him up in her arms.
"Dear sweet Lyon, are you okay?" Meredy worriedly asked.
Battered from battle, Lyon opened his eyes weakly and smiled up to her. "Yes, I'm okay…now that you're here."
Meredy grabbed one of his hands and held it tight. "Those vile fiends, laying their hands on you. Don't worry, Lyon. I'll end this fight…for both of us!"
"For us…" Lyon chimed, his sentence echoing as everything went white.
Lyon had a prideful smile on his face as he walked, though to others like Gray and Juvia, the look made them both drop beads of sweat. The two looked at each other confusedly before choosing to dismiss their inquiries of their love-crazy ally.
"But we have been eating a lot of crap the past few days." Kevin argued, bringing attention to him. "Nothing but canned food for three days straight. I'm surprised not even I threw up."
"Tell me about it." Orion scoffed. "In all honesty, I've tasted better from raw fish on some good days. Really isn't the kind you wouldn't want every day of the week either."
"I could really go for something fresher than peas in a can. A little ripe fruit can go a long way to give me energy." He raised a brow at his growing implications. "Something like…" His attention drew to the people around him, more accurately, some of the more voluptuous people in the current group. Lucy and Minerva were two prime suspects, but when he looked towards Sophie, she had those plump thighs, meaning something hiding beneath the sarong that made him want to pant. But in sight, her chest was so grand that it made him literally hang his tongue out. 'Melons…' he awed.
Orion noticed Kevin trailing off, raising a brow. "What was that?"
"Huh? Oh, uh, you know…like watermelons!" he answered nervously. "Y-yeah! We need water too, right? And they have a lot of that. Especially the hard, ripe…smooth…juicy kind…aw yeah…Mmmmm."
Orion chuckled. "Yeah, haven't had one of those in a while." He frowned. "But we've got more worries to deal with than just food alone."
Nic jumped through one canopy to the next. The others down below were moving at a steady pace, but Nic moved with grace of a ninja, nimble as one too. Once he saw a direct path to open sunlight, his eyes narrowed and stopped atop of the path.
Down below, Jellal took notice of Nic stopping above and felt inquiry rise. "Nic, is there something wrong?"
Nic kept his glare forward. "Up ahead."
Everyone's stare cascaded forward. They all saw pass a couple of shrubs and bushes that there was an exit to the forest. As stated by Nic, everyone looked towards each other and back ahead. "Alright then, let's go!" Natsu made a beeline pass Jellal, making it to the exit with energy to spare.
"Wait for me!" Happy followed behind.
Everyone made use of his infectious attitude and they followed as well. They followed closely behind, and Nic above continued his jumping all the way to the end of the tree line. Soon enough, they all gathered just pass the forest's edge, ending up on the other side, where there was bare dirt all around, and a blistering sun rising in front of them.
Sophie looked out at the setting change, comparing it to the lush forest they were in beforehand. "Well Mest, looks like you weren't kidding. I can see why."
Mest nodded. "Yeah. Can't say that I'm not surprised either. I didn't think they would run their resources dry to this point."
"The Alvarez has been making extensive use of whatever resources were available at the time." Brandish explained. "They even went as far as outside Alvarez jurisdiction to gather wood and fuel for all those ships we destroyed."
"I'm not sure if that says anything good about the empire as it is." Wendy nervously said.
Carla crossed her arms. "Well of course. If they figure they could steal Pokémon from one nation to another, why not steal from neighbors too while they were at it."
"Yeah, guess you got a point…"
Pantherlily turned to look over to his side, catching a glimpse of something. "Hm? Hey, look over there."
"What is it?" Gajeel looked as well, he and the others catching a glimpse of something that was several meters off from their point of view. There, lying in the sun, it looked like a hippo-like creature, but it was short, had stubby limbs, and was currently in a small pile of sand that it had for itself. By the look of its blank eyes that it was napping, so it wasn't a threat.
"It looks like it's napping." Kinana said.
The hippo snorted some before his eyes opened. He turned his head towards the group, gazing at their arrival. It didn't take long before he dismissed them and looked to be back to sleep.
Nic looked over with Erza, catching a glimpse of the creature. "It's a Hippopotas." He answered.
"A Hippopotas?" Out of inquiry, Wendy reached for the PokeDex that came with the supplies she obtained from Jefferey's visit to the guild. She pulled it up and the image of the hippo showed on the front.
"Hippopotas, the Hippo Pokémon. It lives in arid places. Instead of perspiration, it expels grainy sand from its body.'
"Well that isn't at all beautiful. Sounds like that creep we whooped." Sorano sourly pointed out.
"I don't know about that." Yukino grinned. "I think it looks kinda cute."
"Cute or not, let's not provoke it. We have more important matters to go upon." Orion said.
Erza stepped forward. "He's right. We have a job that needs to be done. Move it, people!"
Everyone agreed to her full-heartedly, returning to their more than important matters at hand. However, Nic caught onto a small sensation crawling up his spine. He stopped in his tracks, alarming everyone else around him.
"Nic, what is it?" Lucy wondered. She was cut off from further question as the ground ahead spouted a thick gray wall. Everyone's eyes went up towards it as the eruption of the thick wall kept climbing.
"Crap! What now?!" Gray exclaimed.
The wall of cement rose to a high point, where there, its side began to rise as well. A massive alcove of cement blocked them off completely, leaving only the forest in view behind them. The experienced knew to stay calm, while others like Happy, Lector, and those with less understanding were looking about for answers.
"Sorry, ladies and fellas!" a voice called. "But the road ends here for you guys!"
Nic's attention went skywards. He and everyone looked skywards to find that there was someone who was almost directly within the sunlight. His silhouette quickly faded, revealing him to be Bulcan. His arms were crossed and ha a proud smirk on his face. "Oh, great. Another one." Sting grunted. "Man, just when we thought we'd catch a break around here."
Minerva glared at the man. "Shall we have to ask who you are exactly? Or is it safe to assume you're aligned with Alvarez?"
The man smirked down at the black-haired woman. "My, my. You sure catch on fast. Short and too the point. That's the way to turn me on." He boasted. "Guess it better be appropriate if I let them know if I wanna move up in the rankings. They call me Bulcan, lieutenant of the Glynda Operations Unit."
"A high ranking officer?" Yukino questioned.
"Just like that guy Natsu fought back on Caracole Island." Erza thought back to the small cage o earth that Vlar created. They seemed less than cordial about meeting someone of similar caliber. "So there are more of you I see."
Natsu stepped forward with fists clutched. "Out of our way, bub! Or else you wanna end up like your little pal back on Caracole Island with flames all up in your nostrils." He threatened.
Bulcan smirked with satisfaction. "Hm, a little anxious are we? Don't get ahead of yourself." He stomped his foot on the concrete wall he was on. Two columns of hard cement shot down from the height, looking like Gajeel's own Iron Dragon's Club, but larger.
Natsu jumped and dodged the two columns that plunged into the ground. He landed on one and began a running climb up the pillar towards Bulcan. He yelled as he closed in.
Bulcan smirked. "Don't get ahead of yourself." To prove his point, as Natsu made another step, the cement spot suddenly rippled. His foot got pulled into the liquefied part of the cement block, catching him a gasp. The spot immediately hardened, trapping Natsu's leg in place.
"Gnnngh! Crap, my leg!" He tried to pull free, but as hard as he yanked, his foot was deep within the pillar. A snicker from Bulcan got him to face his attention towards him again.
"Sorry, but it takes still to run through my Cement Magic. I can liquify and harden any type of rock and make it rough or smooth to fit my needs. Now then…" his eyes narrowed. "Let's see how you handle a half-ton fall." He snapped his fingers, making both columns dislodge from their bases. The two massive slants began their intense decline, whereas Natsu fell with the one massive pillar, of which began to turn towards the side. And from the looks of it, he wasn't getting out anytime soon.
Erza took action as she pulled out her Net Ball. She brought her arm back and threw it. "Scizor! X-Scissor!"
The Net Ball spun outwards, soon opening to summon Erza's Sscizor as the Bug/Steel-type let out a cry. She glided across the arid domain towards the two falling pillars from above. When she closed in, her arms and pincers glowed bright blue and crossed, creating a light blue X with magenta outlining. "HRAH!" In a shrilling swipe across and through, she passed the two pillars and looked away. The two pillars of hard cement spliced into many pieces, all of which shattered to harmless grains, freeing Natsu as he flipped onto the ground.
Once free, he stood back up and looked back at Erza's Scizor. "Thanks for the save."
Scizor looked back, giving a nod. "Sure."
Natsu nodded back, but then a frown started to form on his face. Inwardly he had to curse himself for messing up again. 'Damnit, I threw myself in again, didn't I?'
Stepping up from Crime Sorciere, Richard let out a loud as he extended a palm forward. "Liquid Ground!" With his magic, the cement shield created blocking them suddenly turned into a liquified gray wall that made unstable ground. The liquid dripped to the arid floor, and Bulcan began to lose footing.
"Gngh!" He grunted as he started to topple over. He looked down, his eyes directly on Richard. 'Wait, you mean they had an Earth Mage, too?!'
"Everyone, carry along! I fear that we not have a lot of time on our hands!" Richard encouraged. "Go now before it's too late!"
Natsu gasped. "What?! But what about-!"
"Natsu, it'll be fine." Jellal assured. He looked back at Richard, who seemed confident in them going along. "Richard knows what he's doing. He's right, we don't have a lot of time on our hands. We'll have to carry on."
Natsu didn't like it, but he was right. They had to press on, though it felt discouraging that they had to leave more behind.
Nic begrudgingly accepted the facts as well. He looked back at Richard and gave an affirmative nod. "Be careful, Richard." He glowed again, putting his palms in the ground in the process. As the glow faded, it revealed him in a cross of the Stone and Earth Forms; with a coat and shoes of the Stone Form, but the rest of the sash, shoe lacing, even the pants were all part of the Earth Form. Not wanting to let his ally's intentions be in vain, he spread his palms out. "Everyone gather close around me!" They all did as told as he took a running stance. The back of his heel tapped the ground, forcing a large piece of earth beneath to come up like a sheet of ice. It surprised many of them, and some barely held on, but Nic stood tall and used one foot to hoist up like a pirate would at the top of his ship. He grunted, swiping his arms in opposite sides to motion the plate of earth to jet across the land. It bulldozed through the liquefied cement, where it jetted across the land like a high-speed jet ski over water.
They all were riding the massive earth slab…well, all except the Dragon Slayers. They all had comical gaping expressions as they wailed, teary eyed water driving them away as they suffered the next joy ride of their lives.
"OH GOD, WHY~~~~?!" Natsu wailed.
As they rode into the sun rising ahead of them, Richard stood his ground as the glob of wet cement dripped to puddled around him. Ahead of him, jumping off his pedestal of gunk, Bulcan landed on a knee several meters ahead of Richard and gave him a look. "You know, if you ask me, that was a pretty stupid move you've just made." He mocked. "You really wanna take me on all by yourself, squareface?"
"Oh yeah!" Richard proudly stated. "Because no matter what happens to me, my dearest of friends shall do whatever they can, and put a stop to your empire's reign of terror!"
Bulcan scoffed. "That's quite a noble tongue you got there. Let's see what other nonsense you can say…after I turn it to stone!" He reached out, sending a wave of cement plates across the ground towards Richard.
"Oh yeah!" Richard reached forward, sending a liquified wave of ground back, as the battle of Earth Mages began their epic clash.
"Are we sure it was okay to leave Richard back there like that?!" Lucy shouted through the grinding of the plate's bottom they rode on.
"We didn't have time to worry about the consequences! Richard can handle himself quite well!" Jellal replied. "Besides…I'm sure that even he knew the risks of succession were at stake as well."
"He'll be sure to meet up if possible!" Bellona said. "Now everyone, look alive!"
Nic's eyes narrowed as he propelled the plate of earth forward. Something in the distance got his and everyone's attention. Those holding onto the top of the earth got a glimpse of a massive wall with a huge domain of towers and buildings on the other side. As they got closer, they realized but how grand it truly was. "…Alvarez." He muttered.
Gray's eyes widened at the incoming structure. "Hm? Hold on, is that what I think it is?"
Juvia leaned forward in shock to see as well. "That must be the empire!"
"Yes, it is." Brandish answered, getting Lucy beside her to look. "Without a doubt, that is the empire, and we're going straight to its palace." She held her disposition as she drew ever so closer to the one place she was banished from, her home. It was there she was going to have to confront many of her past doing, including acquaintances, especially Brandish. It made her face duller.
A hand was put on her shoulder. She looked over to find that the hand belonged to Lucy. "It'll be okay, trust me." She assured. "We'll help you out, because that's what friends do."
A smile crept on Brandish's face, her attitude lightening up some. "You and your guild certainly are truly annoying, you know that?"
Lucy winked. "Dully noted."
As they closed in on the capital, almost the whole stretch across, there were massive gates that had smooth stones along the edges, with huge watch towers at every corner. As they closed in, the watchers in the watch towers all pulled down their binoculars and nodded at one another. Some of them went over towards compartments along the tower and started to insert functions into holographic keyboards. Down below them, stone vaults opened along the sides, tall enough to allow small things inside.
Looking ahead with her visors on, Aniya caught a glimpse of what they were doing. "Guys! They're throwing something at us!"
True to form, out of the doors, rushed several of the same Pokémon that looked like bright brown donkeys. They were all Mudbray, and on their necks were scarfs with the Alvarez emblem on. They went charging ahead at Nic and the others, making a massive herd that looked like wasn't slowing down.
"Are those Pokémon?!" Happy exclaimed.
Minerva's eyes narrowed. "So it seems they did coincide Pokémon into their ranks after all."
The Mudbray army saw the massive plate of earth shred across the ground. They all stopped in position just like their training inscribed. Each one got on the back of their hooves and stomped down on the ground, causing intense shockwaves to ripple earth like water ahead, via Bulldoze. The ripples and shockwaves became massive waves, which closed in on Nic and everyone else.
Nic's intensity hardened, readying a counter. "Everyone hang on!" His attire began to glow again, this time, switch out the Stone Form's rock elements for the Zap Form. Bright yellow cloaked the coat, as did the sleeves and the shoes. As his body crackled with electricity, his palms pressed harder on the slab.
"Magnet Rise!"
The entire slab was enveloped in a bright outline, and it began to feel a magnetic propulsion off the ground. It was like it was pushed skywards and continued sailing over the waves of earth that traveled beneath. It was exhilarating for a lot of them as they floated.
"We're floating!" Yukino gasped.
Gray smirked. "Now we're talking." He tried to stand on the flying slab, pulling out a Poke Ball. "If those guys like Ground-type attacks…then I bet they're gonna hate this! Snover, it's our turn now!"
The Frost Tree Pokémon popped out of his Poke Ball, ready and willing. "Alright, my turn to -AAAAH!" He nearly fell off the massive floating roller coaster, if not for Gray reaching back at the last second and seizing his sleeve.
"Hang on, I gotcha!" he exclaimed.
"O-o-o-okay!" Snover whimpered.
Gray nodded and pulled him upfront, where he placed Snover ahead and supported him from behind. "Alright, see those guys down there?" he referred to the massive arrays of Mudbray continuing their charge at them, even from below. "Get ready, we're gonna do some damage." He smirked.
Once they were almost directly above, Gray did not hesitate to give the order. "Now, Snover…use Icy Wind!" Snover did as told and inhaled. His mouth glowed bright blue and exerted a frosted, sharp breath that expanded down, creating mist upon impact. The Mudbray down below were all screaming as they were all being hit by the super effective Ice-type attack. Many were blown away so easily, and others tried to hang on the best they could.
"Ice-type attacks are super effective on types like those." Happy remembered.
"Aw yeah, this is gonna be easy!" Lector boasted.
"Juvia, can you give me a hand here?" Gray asked.
"Right." She nodded. Maintaining a strong enough balance, she moved her arms forward. On the ground, a summoned wave of low pressure washed up in front of the residual Mudbray like a weakened Surf. The herd wailed as their legs were struck, and thus sweeping them up and into one another. That, coupled with Snover's attack, proved too much as they all had swirly eyes, meaning they fainted.
"The Mudbray vanguard has been struck down!" a soldier announced.
"Bring the aerial fleet in for rebound, stat!" another exclaimed.
The floating rock continued to ski over the ground, ripping dust behind its wake. As it got closer, from the left side of the left watch tower, people could turn their heads to see aerial figures flap their wings and arch towards their direction.
"Looks like we have more!" Lyon warned, with Kinana gasping behind him.
Nic glanced off to the side, his glare hardening as he saw many of Fearow sweeping in from the air, with harnesses with the Alvarez marks on them. As they cawed, it was revealed they had Alvarez soldiers with whips on their backs.
"Get going!" He lashed his whip over a Fearow's head, causing it to flap harder and dive at the group.
"Here they come!" Sophie warned.
A foot pressed harder on the floating rock, swiftly leaving to shoot a figure up at the flock. The figure zoomed at an intense velocity, catching everyone off guard.
Through many wondrous gazes, the one who seemed intrigued was Erza. Her eyes narrowed as she saw who it was that shot themselves up. 'Is that…?'
The figure pulled out a Poke Ball, and as it sailed skywards, the ball popped open, creating a powerful flash.
SHWING!
When the flash subsided, slash marks shined brightly. In a powerful blazing glory, Kagura, and what looked like a small Pokémon with knives for hands showing Metal Claw, passed the vast of the flock. As the two looked away with eyes shut out, the Fearow and men all were enveloped in bright bursts from the slashes they received.
"Kagura!" Minerva exclaimed. She looked over, her eyes getting pass the molting feathers of the Fearow to get a glimpse of the Pawniard alongside Kagura. 'Is that…her Pokémon?'
Kagura sheathed her sword as she descended to the ground. "Get going!" she yelled. "We'll hold them off for as long as we can!"
Nic nodded in understanding. Without hesitation, he picked up the pace and the plate closed in on the gate. They had a velocity of a Dodrio, if not a Rapidash. They were sailing amicably.
As they closed in, a few spots dented in the ground ahead of them. Then, holes were created, which burst with dust and dirt. Out of them, Drilbur all shot up, claws bare at them.
"Drilbur! Incoming!" Erza warned.
The many Drilbur in numbers as large as the Mudbray all shimmered their claws, readying for their incoming. However, from the side, a Drilbur saw a glint of something and turned in question. "Huh…?"
In a blinding blur, Sawyer lunged from the side, beelining clean through the Drilbur in his path. They all spiraled out of control as he smirked. "Too slow!"
"Sawyer!" Jellal exclaimed.
Another figure smirked. "Why should you have all the fun?" The figure jumped off the slab, swiping her arm in midair down at the five Drilbur beneath that jumped for her. Immediately a swarm of white angels expelled in an arch from the side of her body and swept them away.
Yukino jumped next, following her lead. In midair, she twirled and pulled out a key. "Open: Gate of the Balance – Libra!"
Once she landed, the key was pointed forward, and a magic seal showed itself. Appearing in front was Libra on a knee, and she lifted her scales up as green outlined her body. Gravity intensified in front of the Drilbur in front of her, stopping their movements.
"Just leave this to us as well." Sorano smirked.
"You guys go! We insist!" Yukino exclaimed.
"Guys…" Though they were down four more guys to handle the raid, Nic knew he couldn't waver. His fixation hardened further as he leaned forward. "Alright then, here we go!" His body crackled in electricity, the static channeling into the massive plate. It zoomed faster than before, accelerating at alarming speeds dangerously close to the gates.
"If you're going to bust through, find another way!" Brandish exclaimed. "Those gates are immune to magic!"
Nic's body crackled harder in electricity, making his glare more intensifying. "Then we won't!" Covering in electricity, his entire body had a cloak of intense lightning the made for a veil. Everything shuddered around him as he made the plate zoom behind for greater momentum. The lightning that was roaring was like a veil that surrounded the outer front, like a forcefield, and Nic was the center.
Nic brought his fist back, roaring out with all his might as the electricity blistered into his body.
"VOLT TACKLE!"
His fist collided first, then his shoulder, ramming with the force of the plate to completely erupt the gates in an explosion of lightning. Smoke surged into the empire's compounds, sending the doors screeching across the street and making trails within the concrete. Eventually, the gates fell like pillars, dented, destroyed, and all along the city, dust and smoke trailed all the way back towards its gates, where the majority of the smoke was.
There, within the billowing, a silhouette slowly eroded out of the cloud, his figure standing with red crackling electricity for recoil. But he looked undeterred by the effects nor the collateral damage purposely made. Behind him, many more silhouettes slowly eroded up from their feet out of rubble created. Some were shaken, but many more were looking to be excited.
As the smoke faded, the empire watching from their windows all got a view from around and above. And the first face they saw come out…was a man with black spiky hair and blue eyes, a serious look on his face.
As the wind shifted and blew away the dust and smoke, neither him nor his comrades were unfazed. They have finally arrived…Alvarez Empire.
Good enough to stop here I guess. I would've preferred to go a little further, but I didn't want to extend my 17K limit I placed upon myself. But I think I got just enough in this chapter to satisfy everyone. Comedy, fair-length fighting…yup, all good! Reviews are appreciated as ever! Until next time guys! :)
