I forgot to do this last chapter, so here, have it this chapter! Big shoutout and thanks to Enjali, who helped me get over my writers block!
Alright, I've brushed up on where everyone is and what I had planned, and now I am prepared! So, let's see how Fairy Tail is doing, yes? I wonder how the Guild Hall is holding up…
Otaku789(1), I'm glad you're enjoying it!
Phoenix(1), Yesss! The moment is here! Ah yes, the good old mental kill with anticipation. Proven to be 100% fatality free! And always so satisfying. Honestly? At this point I'm hoping I can pull it off convincingly, but Jude got something realll messed up planned that you will see at some point in this chapter that really sets of the alarms which were at a low jangle until this moment. Yesssss I am such a big sucker for a group of strangers becoming family (big reason why I recently fell in love with the anime Kekkai Sensen, which I do recommend) Cobra is like the estranged cousin who no one really wants to remember or talk about but everyone loves him anyway. Hey, my school starts up on Monday as well. Ughhh, I have a headache just thinking about my alarms. I sleep through them so often I think I'm gonna need to bump my twenty up to forty, (every five minutes instead of every ten) but I think that would piss off just about literally everyone. THE GREAT HIATUS HAS ENDED! WE ARE FREE! WE ARE FREE!
Guest(1), a wise old owl lived in an oak, Jude is not a nice bloke, the more he saw, the less he spoke, the crew of Fairy Tail certainly aren't common folk, the less he spoke the more he heard, I just hope this doesn't seem too absurd, why can't we all be like that wise old bird? An update! An update! I've got you hooked, eh? Guess I better reel you in with this chapter, eh? Oh goodness, finals? I hope you did well, even without another chapter of this!
Otaku789(2), uh… looks like that's a no. Sorry! I had a lot to do, and this story had to take a temporary backseat.
Otaku789(3), they're over! We're done! What is this feeling, it's almost like… freedom. Agh whoops there it goes, semester two is here and it brings a lot of work! Well, it's a little late, but here's your r&r! I hope that what happens next is good!
Guest(2), Cliffhanger! Ooh those are some good puppy eyes. I can feel my heart melting. Better update quick!
Phoenix(2), happy (belated) Valentines Day!
Guest(3), indeed it has! Honestly your review really helped me get through a rough patch with my writing. I felt a bit like everything I wrote wasn't good enough but your words really help. Thank you, honestly. :D
Guest(4), ah, sorry about that! I realized I still had the AN Chapter up, and figured I'd take it down. I didn't realize it would rebrand this as updated. Sorry! At least it's for real now!
"Dark Écriture; Slow!"
A green blur was all Gray saw before Freed was gone, too vague to make out any details. His limbs moved like they were caught in molasses, each breath taking a painfully long time to reach his lungs. When he blinked, the world disappeared for what could have been hours, the sun was gone from the sky as soon as his eyes were open again.
His ice melted at a supernaturally fast rate, faster even than when fire was near.
For a brief moment, the was the sensation of hands on his shoulders, blonde, and a gentle shake, but that too was gone almost too fast to be processed.
A few things could be happening here. A really strange dream, or maybe a time wizard with a grudge, or it was some weird left over affect from being an Ice Make Mage that no one bothered to warn him about.
Or it was Freed. Odds were that Freed was to blame. After all, Gray had been an utter moron and had taken his attention away from the battle he was engaged in with a member of the Thunder Legion.
Despite the time that must have passed, hours, if not a day, it took only seconds after he realized this that with a strange tinkling sound, like the shattering of glass, that the world slowed down enough to make sense.
The first sound to meet his ears was screaming.
Crux grimaced, not something that was usually seen on the Spirit. "I am sorry, Miss Lucy, but I am not allowed to talk about him."
"Really? There's nothing you can tell me?"
"No, the Celestial Spirit king has banished all contact with him. He hasn't been seen in my world for years."
Lucy let Crux fall back asleep as she thought over that. Without a Celestial Mage to keep the gate open, the strain could be fatal on a Spirit, and to maintain an open gate for years would either take an absurd amount of magic power, or something unnatural.
But then again, Leo was supposed to be the leader of the Celestial Spirits, wasn't he? Surely that meant he… Loke had said he was dying, didn't he?
"Thanks Crux!" Lucy dispelled the Spirit, turning on her heel and running after Loke. She was going to get to the bottom of this, even if it meant pinning the man to a wall Erza style.
Actually, she might do it some other way. He would probably enjoy being pinned too much.
Running from the canal to an open street, she nearly slipped on a patch of ice. Barely catching herself, Lucy took in the street. Most of the ice was at least partially melted, and a sword, Freeds sword, was lodged in a large chunk.
In the middle of the street, Gray stood, his hands still in the Ice Make position. He didn't seem to be moving, just standing there, barely twitching a muscle. A single rune, definitely one of Freeds, stood just above his forehead, the purple text shimmering.
He would probably be fine if Freed took the rune off. Even so, Lucy gave him a small shake, in case the rune was 'sleep' or something. No luck.
Well, that was a problem. Lucy bit her lip, weighing Grays importance in relation to Loke's. Gray would probably be fine as soon as Freed was defeated, which was bound to happen sooner or later, and if Loke's claim of dying was to be believed…
"Sorry, Gray!"
This time, Lucy didn't quite catch herself when she slipped, but considering she had just left Gray to be frozen in a street in favour of a playboy she had never really talked to, it was well deserved.
Meanwhile, with Evergreens defeat, a certain group of stone statues was crumbling. The rest of Fairy Tail was waking up.
There was a moment of delayed confusion, it seemed like time had passed, but at the same time, nothing had changes, aside from a few people going from precarious places and positions to flat out on the ground. A quiet murmur swept over the guild, as those who found themselves on the ground picked theme lives up, brushing off any dirt that stuck to their clothes.
"Does anyone remember what happened? I remember hearing someone come in, but I don't think I quite saw who."
"Maybe Mystogan?"
"No, I don't feel like I was asleep… besides, all the jobs are still here!"
"Maybe it was Evergreen."
"She's been out on a job with The Thunder Legion for months though…"
"Plus, she has no real reason to turn us all into stone, yeah?"
"No, it was her." Mira spoke up, after placing the tray that was still in her hands on a counter, picking up the food that had spilled with it. "It took a little bit longer for her magic to work on me..."
While Elfman made his way to his sisters side, the rest of the guild let out cries of outrage.
"It's gotta be Laxus behind this! He was always too uppity!"
"I say we go fight back!"
"Yeah!"
It was then that Makarov stumbled in. He was badly burned, the marks concentrated on his arms, but a few stretched their way up to his face, and who knows where else.
"Master!" Mira pushed her way through the silenced crowd, crouching next to the old man. Her hands hovered uncertainly over his wounds, and after a couple seconds she wheeled to face Jet.
"Go get Porlyusica, quickly!"
He swallowed, face pale, and nodded, before taking off up the stairs and leaving a trail of dust behind.
"Someone go to Cardia Cathedral…" he bit out, revealing red-stained teeth. "Laxus is still there."
"No way! He's the one who did this to you, he deserves whatev-"
"He is still a member of this guild! I expect you to treat him like one!"
Before anyone had a chance to respond to that, Jet ran back in, looking, if possible, even paler. "There's something outside you really need to see."
Natsu shifted uncomfortably, the suit was too small for him by now, and Gajeel was proving to be nothing but an intimidating presence as they walked down the hall together.
Even so, he would far rather spending the rest of his life with the feeling of 'one wrong move and I'll break your kneecaps' at his shoulder than face what waited behind this door.
(Oddly enough, despite the hell he was about to step back into, it felt like no matter what, so long as Fairy Tail still stood, everything would turn out alright.)
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.
It was just as empty as he remembered. The big window did little to provide lighting to the room, except to cast ominous shadows.
Jude was sat behind his desk, though his seat was turned away from it so he could look out the window.
His shoulders moved in the motions of a deep sigh, it was odd to not be able to hear it, he had gotten so used to his DragonSlayer senses…
Jude spun around in his chair, and Natsu made a conscious effort not to show what he was feeling on his face.
"You disappoint me, boy."
Jude stood, placing both hands on his desk.
"I take you in. I feed you. I teach you what you need to survive in this world, boy."
He leaned forwards, it took effort not to step back.
"And this is how you repay me? Disgraceful."
He sat back down, hands folding on his lap again.
"Really, you never seem to learn your lesson."
A lacrima flickered to life on his desk.
"I didn't want to have to do this, boy, but you leave me no other option. You just need to understand that I know what's best for you."
A video projection spun out, displaying Fairy Tail.
There was a sinking feeling in his gut, like his heart had leapt to his throat,
Another building was clear behind it, the Dark Guild Phantom Lord.
Through some miracle of engineering, the building was moving, one 'arm' raised into the sky.
Like a judge hitting his gavel on a desk, sentencing an inmate to death, the arm fell,
And Fairy Tail fell beneath it.
So, I've finally gotten around to watching Dragon Cry! Gotta admit, it was pretty good. And, we finally got to see how Natsu and Igneel met! …which is a problem. So, what do you guys think, should I go back and change the first chapter from five dragons that Igneel decided to gather up for no apparent reason to a dragon cuddle pile that a little boy accidentally wanders into? It's up to you guys! I'll set up a poll, for those of you with a profile, and for those of you without just leave it in a review! Sound good? Great! (Oh yeah don't mind me just ignoring the probable mental scarring I caused Natsu whoops) ((can I just say though I'm really proud of how this ended bahahahaha)) ~ShadeShadow