Alright guys, I've come to realize something.
Although you guys may see it differently, I'm not a fan of this arc. Don't get me wrong, it's better than what I was going to post originally, but I just can't get the drive to update, especially because of the amazing next arc I have planned and arcs beyond (isn't that right, Digi-fanCatt?)
Regardless, I'm going to speed through this arc and the one shots this week, and hopefully we can start this next arc before my march break is over. One reason the chapters have been shorter than I would like is because I'm doing my best to drag this out. I hope we can finish this arc before chapter 75, but I don't know. Enjoy!
One could say Drake was mad. This was true, but perhaps mad wasn't the correct term. Enraged beyond all physical belief sounded much better anyway. Nashi was telling him to forgive and move past his hatred for Phantom Dove's torturer, and he couldn't find a more appropriate response than laughing in his friends face. Forgive Apocalypse? Drake would have better luck becoming the Prince of Fiore, Mavis. he took a deep breath, and prepared himself as he turned to Nashi.
"Please?" he asked weakly, and the pinkette face palmed.
"No!" She shouted angrily. "You cannot beat him up, it won't work!"
"What if I..." Drake was cut off by a fireball sailing past his head, and he stared at Nashi's angry expression.
"No." She hissed. "Do not beat him up." Drake sighed and cast a weary glance over at Apocalypse, who hadn't moved an inch. Maybe Nashi was right, if he had to beat the man up he would've attacked Drake by now, which he hadn't. Drake just couldn't forgive him thought, not for everything that went down.
"Nashi, I don't think you understand quite well enough." Drake said. "I cannot forgive him. It's not that I'm not trying, I just can't." Nashi sighed and turned to face Apocalypse.
"You'd better come up with a plan then." She told him matter of factly. "Because we'll be stuck here all damn day if you don't." Drake knew she was right, but he couldn't do it. Continuing to tell her so would result in an ass beating, and Drake didn't want that. But he just...
"This is insane." Drake growled, clenching his fists. "What kind of stupid tests are these anyway? I hope to Mavis there aren't anymore."
"We'll never know if you don't grow a pair."
"Shut up, why don't you?"
Simon watched from the opposite side of the hallway as Ultear tried to free herself from Juvia, but to obviously no avail. She made a face and blew her bangs out of her face, and Simon smirked.
"Give up yet?" he asked her, and she glared at him,
"Not everyone is as accepting as you." She said, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm still mad at you too." Simon choked at her response.
"I told you it was an accident!" he shouted, his face reddening. "Mavis Ul, if you're going to be so damn difficult..."
"Maybe if you didn't cope a feel..."
"Oh. My. Mavis. I'm so done with you." Simon got up and started to leave as Ul made a weird sound. Simon turned to find her at a loss for air, as Juvia had started to squeeze. Simon rolled his eyes and stood there watching, he'd learned already all that his helping did was earn him a frisk of the girl. "Come on Ul, we don't have all damn day" Ultear glared at him as she attempted to free herself.
"I...I already told you that I..." She didn't finish as her face continued to turn blue, and Simon sighed.
"Do you want me help?" He asked weakly, Ultear nodding viciously. Simon sighed as he walked back to her side and wrapped his arms underneath her arms, pulling as hard as he could. he was relatively surprised when Juvia's grip faltered, and Ultear flew out of her and Simon's grasp, right into the wall. Simon paled as she climbed out and glared at him, and he chuckled weakly. "Sorry" He managed, and she sighed.
"it's fine" She replied. "At least I can breath now."
"Ultear-sama!" Ultear dodged Juvia and gave Simon one of the most desperate looks he'd ever seen. He shrugged.
"Just try." he told her, and she paled as Juvia caught her again. Ultear made one of the most determined looks Simon had ever seen on her face and hugged her mother back, squeezing her tightly. Simon waited as Ultear hugged her mother, with quite possibly the weirdest look on her face. Simon was about to make a rude comment about the look on her face when he noticed Juvia beginning to fade away. Soon she became ghostly enough for Ultear to escape, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"I did it." She said in disbelief. "I actually did it..."
"You did." Simon confirmed. "Can we go now?" Ultear nodded quickly, speeding down the hallway as fast as she could, Simon doing his best to keep pace with her. They soon reached what looked like a giant door, but it was sealed. Simon noted the twelve holes with lights shining somewhere from within, only one of which was not lit up.
"What the hell is this?" Ultear asked, running her hand down the door. Simon shrugged.
"No idea." he replied. "But there's six of us, and twelve holes..."
"Maybe it signifies the amount of completed tests?" She asked, which made sense to Simon. Six of them with two tests each made twelve.
"So someone is still having trouble." He murmured. "But who?"
"Nashi or Drake, at this point." Simon whirled to find Damien and Elise standing at the far end of the hallway, grinning at them. Simon breathed a sigh of relief as they walked up to them.
"Thank Mavis you guys are okay." he said. "I was worried"
"That's cute." Damien replied. "So, we're waiting for Nashi and Drake?"
"Looks like it" Elise replied, looking at the door. "I wonder which of them is having trouble."
"I just...fuck!" Drake complained slamming his fist into the wall angrily. He just couldn't find it with in himself to be able to forgive Apocalypse, and Nashi was clearly at the end of her rope as well.
"This is pathetic." Apocalypse complained. "I can understand why I was to torture you, Master Jose sure had his head on straight." Drake growled at the torturers apparition.
"You shut up..." Drake hissed angrily. "I don't have the patience for this." Apocalypse laughed.
"Whatever." he said. "I must admit, the only time I've ever had more fun is when I dealt with those guys who raped your friend..." Drake drew a blank as he stared at Apocalypse.
"What?" he asked weakly, and the man smiled.
"Right," he replied, "i never got around to telling you that story. Well, when Angel informed Master Jose about your friends getting raped, he was onto dealing with them very fast." Drake stared at the dark haired man as he continued. "he decided the best way to deal with it was me taking them out in a very...interesting fashion."
"You..." Drake managed, trailing off as he stared at Apocalypse. "Dealt with the guys who hurt Elise?" Apocalypse frowned and growled.
"More than happy to do so as well" he replied. "That's unacceptable. I even laughed a little as I smashed their skulls in." Drake stared at the torturer with a new found respect. Maybe he wasn't all bad, like Drake had originally thought. being happy to deal with the men who raped Elise put Apocalypse in Drake's good books, even if he was at the very bottom of that list. Drake took a deep breath and stared the man in the eyes.
"I suppose that makes you alright, then" he replied unsteadily. "I...You have my thanks for dealing with them." Drake knew for a fact that was as good as he could do, and waited with baited breath as Apocalypse smirked at him. Drake took a huge breath of relief as the man began to fade away.
"Impressive." Nashi said. "It would appear his dealing with those men cancelled out your hatred for him."
"Whatever" Drake grumbled, pocketing his hands. "Let's just get the hell out of here." Drake began to walk away, and he heard Nashi follow suit, running to catch up. Both remained silent, Drake had nothing to say. He was quite positive he still hated Apocalypse, but knowing he'd dealt with those guys...it quelled some of the guilt in Drake's heart, he knew that. he turned a corner and was met by the sight of the others waiting around, presumably for them. Elise looked up as they approached.
"What took you guys so long?" She demanded, and Nashi elbowed Drake.
"This guys couldn't get past his hatred for Apocalypse." Se told them, and Drake received four sympathetic looks and one confused one.
"Who?" Elise asked, rubbing her forehead, and Drake sighed.
"Phantom Dove's torturer." he supplied for the girl. "He tortured Nashi and I...yeah." Elise nodded and began muttering to herself, before Drake coughed. "So, how did you guys do?" he asked, trying to change the subject. Ultear glowered in Simon's direction, who cowered.
"Simon is in hot water with me right now." She replied in a dark tone, and the requip mage seemed rather terrified.
"I told you." he hissed. " I didn't mean to grab you, I only tried to help!"
"Sure, sure." Simon rolled his eyes and turned away from her, obviously done with their conversation. Damien chuckled.
"I had to deal with Steph and Xisplate" he said, obviously doing his best to sound nonchalant about it. "No big deal." Drake rolled his eyes.
"I had some creepy dude and King Simon" Elise pointed out, and Drake decided to take a quick listen into Elise's thoughts, instantly getting a mental image of said creepy dude, and he nearly threw up. That creepy dude was the one who raped her, and she didn't even know. Doing his best to ignore them, Drake turned his attention towards the door, which had twelve glowing lights on it.
"What's up with this door?" he asked, and Simon shrugged.
"We think it correlates to the number of trials completed, as per twelve lights." he told Drake. "Now that you guys are here, we can probably open it."
"Then what the hell are we waiting for?" Nashi demanded, stepping forward to open it. "Let's get these scrolls and bounce, I'm tired of this place." Drake followed the others inside the doorway, ad watched as it slammed shut after them.
"Well, shit" Damien said, rubbing the back of his head. "No where to go now but forward."
"Like going back brought us anywhere" Ultear replied, turning to continue. The continued down the hallway silently, and Drake took note of the inscriptions on the wall. None of them where legible, but he felt like they were a warning. Drake could see a dim light at the end of the tunnel, and he hoped that was a way out as well as their objective, as he really needed to get payed.
"I think we're here." Simon said as they approached the altar, and Drake could see three scrolls stacked on top of each other neatly. Simon made a grab for them and stashed them in his magical inventory, and he grinned. "Now, anyone see an exit?"
"Nope" Nashi replied, turning around and looking for one. "Although I feel like we're missing something." As if on cue, a very faint laugh could be heard from the opposite isde of the room, and Drake paled at the voices.
"Wow." One said. "Aren't we pathetic."
"Right?" Another asked. "Truly unbelievable."
"Let's just kill them and be done with it." Another hissed. "It'll be faster."
"Patience." Another, a man, spoke. "We must address them formally."
"That's so lame though" Another complained, and Drake knew the voice all too well.
"Shut up and let's get this over with" The six voices emerged from the darkness, and Drake choked on his spit.
"Us?!"
Interesting turn of events, huh? Like I said, I'm just finishing this arc out as fast as I can, I really don't like it. That and the next one is so good, I'm so hyped...
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!