This wasn't supposed to be up today, or at least so early cause I had school. Snowed in though, so here I am!
Enjoy!
The crowd was still in a frenzy, cheering so loud Drake could barely hear himself think.
"Dragon-God mode." Simon said, a smile on his face. "I'd forgotten all about it." Drake frowned.
"Yeah, it's a great idea now, but...| He trailed off, lost in thought.
"What's the matter, Drake?" Ultear asked. Drake looked over at her.
"Dragon-God mode in undoubtedly very strong." he told her. "But if you recall, it hurts them as well." He returned his gaze to the field as the crowd continued to roar. "I'm just worried that, after that beating, they won't be able to hold it long enough to beat Michael and Keita."
Michael watched as the two girls stretched their own stiff muscles, the black elements still present.
"Dragon-God?" Keita asked. "What is that? Could it be...?" Elise grinned and tilted her head to the side.
"The fusion of Dragon and God slayer magic." She answered. "The ultimate offense and defense." Michael gritted his teeth. It couldn't be that bad, right?
"Don't act so high and mighty!" Michael shouted, Dragon Force sending off a wave of magical energy. "You're still in horrid condition! Let's end this, Keita!"
"My pleasure." Michael broke into a sprint towards Nashi, who waited for him. As he got close, the pinkette smirked.
She erupted into black and red flames.
Michael stopped dead in his tracks as the flames grew, he covered his face and held his ground.
This heat...If I get any closer she'll melt me to pieces!
"Divine Talons of the Fire Dragon-God!" Michael looked up just in time to get a face full on Nashi's fire covered foot, sending him flying away from her and thankfully to a cooler portion of the arena. She launched herself after him, the fire burning even brighter. Michael attacked her with White bursts of his own magic, but the attacks were seared away as they got close to her.
How am I supposed to hit her if the fire is so intense in burns away my magic?!
Nashi tackled him with all the force she had, and Michael writhed in pain as he fell, the fire clinging to his clothes and singing them. He grimaced as he hit the ground and rolled, getting himself out of the way of another fireball that destroyed the ground he'd just been standing on.
"This power..." he breathed weakly, as Nashi landed on her feet. "Where did you get it...? This is no mere use of both magic, it truly is a fusion..."
"Did you guys ever figure out how this works?" Erza asked. "If Natsu can't reuse Zancrow's flame, then how is Dragon-God mode even possible?"
"Because the way the elements were consumed was different." Levy answered, all eyes turning to her as she continued. "I did a little research on the effects of Slayer magic, and did my best to figure it out. I think it has to do with the differences between how it was consumed.
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked curiously. Levy pointed to Natsu.
"Natsu got rid of his own magical power to eat Zancrow's, allowing his body to becomes a vessel of the fire he ate at that moment." She then pointed at the girls on the field. "The girls created no such vessel, at least not the same way. From what Elise told me, they only ate the God fire and iron when they were low on magic."
"Okay..." Natsu said, scratching his head. "How does that make a difference?" Levy sighed.
"As oppose to you, where your Dragon Fire and God Fire stayed separate, the girls ate in differently, and caused a fusion of the God element and the Dragon element. Which allows them to call upon the God Flame and God Iron whenever they please."
"I wouldn't say whenever." Gajeel replied, all eyes turning to him. "It still hurts them to use it."
"I forgot about that." Gray said, nodding. "Even with the fusion, their lower tiered slayers..." The group grew tense as the girls continued to attack Michael and Keita.
"How long...?" Laxus asked quietly, not getting an answer at first. Natsu sighed.
"In their peak condition, Nashi was able to hold Dragon-God mode for thirty minutes." He answered.
"Elise too." Gajeel supplied. Natsu narrowed his eyes at the arena.
"But with the girls as hurt as they are, after taking so much damage from Michael and Keita..." The four young wizards flew around the arena. destroying anything their magic touched.
"I give Nashi and Elise, at most, five minutes until the God element knocks them out."
Keita took the club to the face and soared backwards, flipped, and landed on his feet. He looked up as Elise slowly came towards him, Nashi and Michael doing their own thing around the arena. He'd never faced off against magic like this, so he was unsure as to what to do.
Didn't mean he was going to cave. Keita inhaled deeply, shadows forming around his face.
"Shadow Dragon Roar!" He shouted, the torrent of darkness soared towards Elise without remorse.
"The attack struck the girl head on, as she didn't even try to move out of the way. Keita waited as the smoke billowed out from the strike, seeing if his roar had any effect.
"Hm, that tickled." Keita's eyes widened as the smoke cleared, revealing Elise standing exactly where she had been but a moment ago, still smirking. "Sorry Keita, but you may have to try a bit harder to get through the armor of the Iron Dragon-God!" Elise raised an arm, and it glowed. It turned into a thin blade, akin to a katana, and swung it full force at Keita, who allowed it to pass through him without harm. Even in her advanced state, she couldn't ht a shadow. Keita ran up to her and delivered a blow to her midsection.
He reared back and shout out in pain as his hand resounded off of her stomach with a clank.
"What did I tell you?" Elise demanded, delivering a blow to his stomach herself and throwing him up into the air. "You won't get through it with that kind of attack!" She sailed through the open air, looking down at the girl below him as he herself inhaled deeply.
Bellowing Roar of the Iron Dragon-God!" The black and gray attack flew towards Keita, and he covered his face for the impending impact. The shards cut deep into his body, nothing was not effected. He landed back on the ground and sank into it, trying to find a way to get past her. He went behind her and attempted to attack her from behind, bit the armor was just as strong on her back. She turned and sent a club his way, knocking the wind out of him for a moment.
"Your turn." She told him. Before he could ask her what that meant, or even regain the ability to breath, another club connected with his face, sending him high into the air. He crashed into one of the four giant statues above them, and now he understood what she meant by it was his turn. He got to his feet to see her climbing up after him, and he prepared himself for it.
An explosion of black, red and white distracted him, making him look up as Nashi and Michael flew away from each other in front of him. Michael flew towards him and Nashi flew towards the statues across from them.
"You good?" Michael asked. Keita didn't answer as he pointed downwards, towards the girls rocketed toward them. Michael put his hands together and shot light at the girl, forcing her to jump from the statues as it exploded from the force, landing on the statue next to Nashi's.
All four of them occupied one of the statues around the Domus Flau.
"Well, this certainly turned around!" Michael shouted to the girls, "To think you had a form that rivaled the power of ours!" The girl didn't reply, and Michael crossed his arms over his now bare chest. Keita noted the burns lining his friend's figure. Michael glowed with light, causing his statues to tremble. "It's time we put this power of yours to a direct test! Keita!" Keita nodded an inhaled.
"Shadow Dragon..."
"White Dragon..."
"ROAR!" The Dragon Force boosted streams of magic soared towards the girls.
"BELLOWING ROAR OF THE FIRE/IRON DRAGON-GOD!" The girls shouted together, their own streams of magic flying at them as well.
The four attacks struck in the center of all four statues, creating an eye of the hurricane-esque effect as the entire arena trembled from the sheer force.
Nashi he;d her own as the four roar attacks met in the center, doing her best to apply more power to it. She needed to beat them, she needed too...
A searing pain roared across her chest.
No!...Please, no no no not now...!
But the pain persisted. Eventually it grew all over Nashi's body. She'd only ever experienced such excruciating agony a few times before.
Dragon-God mode was warning her persisting after this point would be dangerous to her health. But she pushed back. She had to beat them. How much time was left in the match anyway?!
She couldn't. Nashi let up and succumbed to the pain, her roar disappearing from the four. She dropped to her knees as the pain started to die away. She needed to do something, or else.
"Shit!" It was Elise's voice swearing. Nashi looked up as the Bellowing Roar of the Iron Dragon-God failed in holding back the other two attacks, the blasts of light and black now coming forth unopposed. Nashi braced for the worst.
The Roar of the White Dragon barreled towards her and stuck her and the statue she was on, annihilating it in a blast of Holy Light. Nashi grimaced in pain as the statue started to collapse. She couldn't move very well thanks to the pain, so she opted to fall with it.
Something shiny jumped into the air, though.
"Don't think you're getting out of this!" Elise shouting, her arm turning into a katana, and Michael and Keita braced.
Elise wasn't aiming for them.
Nashi watched as the girl cleaved through the solid stone that kept the statues up, making the other two fall as well. Michael and Keita looked frantic as they looked for something to hold onto, but disappeared in the debris anyway.
All four of them fell to the arena below, amid the mess they had caused.
Sting sank against the wall as the statues fell over.
"What's the matter, Sting?" Rufus asked. "Are you worried?"
"Not necessarily..." Sting whispered. "I just hope they don't make me pay for this..."
Nashi coughed as the debris started to settle, all four of them having hit the ground. She sturggled to her feet, and looked around the destroyed arena.
"Oh my Lord!" Ross shouted, the only thing Nashi could hear amid the dust. "The competitor have destroyed the statues around the arena!What a display!" Nashi could also hear the crowd going ballistic, but she ignored that.
"Nashi?" It was Elise calling her. "Where are you?"
"Over here!" Nashi called back, and soon enough her tag partner appeared through the dust. "You okay?" She asked. Elise nodded.
"More or less." She answered, body still covered in her Scaled Dragon God Armor. "You?" Nashi flinched and hit her midsection.
"I hit my limit." She hissed. "Dragon-God mode will only hinder me from here..."
"Nashi, you can't give up! It's our only hope!"
"I know, but I..."
"Do you realize how much pain I'm in right now?" Nashi looked back up, taking a closer look. Upon closer inspection, she could see it clearly. Elise's face was twisted in pain. "If I can keep it up, so do you. Go until it beats you, not those idiots! Where's the girl that survived an Etherion explosion?"
"I..."
Nashi's world froze.
She wasn't in the arena anymore.
She was in a crater.
She was surrounded by ruins. The sky was bleached a dark red.
"Where...?" Nashi looked around, but she couldn't see anything worth noting. She looked down, and gasped.
Her hands were black.
"What-What is...?" Nashi asked weakly.
"Nashi!" Her head moved on it's own towards the voice. Drake stood in the crater watching her. His eyes were filled with fear and confusion.
"Drake..."
And just like that, in the blink of an eye, Nashi was back in the arena.
"Nashi?! Nashi?!" Nashi looked around frantically as Elise called her name, meeting the girls eyes.
"What?" Elise's face was laced with concern.
"You blanked out on me." She replied. "And your body got really hot."
"Did it?" Nashi looked down on her hands, and they flashed black once more. She closed her eyes and grimaced.
"What the hell was that..."
"Fuck!" Nashi looked up to find rubble being thrown away as someone clawed their way out of it. Michael stood up amidst it, watching them closely. "That was a rotten thing to do, Elise." He said flatly. Elise shrugged him off. Keita materialized out of the ground, looking just as terrible as the rest of them.
"This needs to end." He said, body glowing black. Michael responded in kind. "Or we'll kill each other." Elise stood, ready to go. and Nashi joined her.
Nashi's eyes widened as she felt her veins flow with magic.
"What the...?" She looked down at her hands again, and black fire sprung forth with ease, mixed with the red.
Where did this magic come from? I was running on empty just a moment ago...
She grinned as her body erupted in black and red fire once more.
"Let's end this." She agreed.
Michael smiled as the girls stood once more.
"Once and for all, we decide who is the strongest!" He and Keita sprinted forth, as did the girls. They met their respective pair in the center of the arena and started to trade blows. Fire against Light, Iron against Shadow. No one backed down, no one complained. They just slugged each other mercilessly. Michael took a slug to the face and slid backwards, nursing the burn on his face from the strike.
"Man, this Dragon-God fire really hurts..." He looked up at Nashi, and his blood ran cold.
The fire still kept her body alight, but that was not what Michael was staring at.
The fire had eyes. Or rather it looked like it did. The flames above Nashi's head were shaped like eyes, burning themselves into Michael's heart.
What the hell is that?!
Lucy watched worriedly as the four exchanged blows.
"Did she just..." Natsu lowered his head slightly.
"Yeah." He said. "I felt it..." The older generation was silent, watching the battle unfold as Michael and Keita started getting pushed back.
"She called on her Etherious and it replenished her magic enough to survive the battle..." Gray said lowly.
"She couldn't have done it on purpose..." Erza said. "Her body reacted to the danger..."
"Did she go Etherious?" Gajeel asked weakly. "That fire...I can feel it from here."
"No she didn't." Natsu answered. He took a deep breath.
"Michael and Keita would be dead if she had."
Nashi pushed Michael back with ease. He swung at her with a fist, she responded with an even harder punch. He tried to immobilize her with another stigma, and she burned it away without a second glance. She was systemically destroying him.
"Dragon-God Death Scythe!" The fiery object appeared in her hands and Michael was immersed in it, knocking him back. Keita soon joined him and they both rolled back into a heap. Elise stepped up next to Nashi.
"You doing okay?" Nashi asked. Elise was panting and parts of her Scaled Armor had chipped off and disappeared.
"About to collapse..." She replied. "This needs to end." At the word collapse, more pain erupted across Nashi's body. She collapsed to one knee ans started to breathe shakily. Dragon-God mode was always a risk, and no matter when she played it, it never worked out.
"Enough of this!" She heard Michael shouted as he stood tall. "I refuse to lose this battle! Its been seventeen years in the making and I'm not going to LOSE IT!" Keita stood as well, looking equally as pissed off.
"Just like back then..." Keita said, both of them aiming a fist behind them, standing together. "We'll use the rest of our magic..."
Spheres of Light and Shadow exploded behind them, and started growing in power.
"Oh my God!" Ross shouted, the crowd still cheering itself senseless. "Michael and Keita go for the signature of the Twin Dragons, the Holy Shadow Dragon's Fang Flash!" The name only made the crowd more excited, and they started chanting Michael and Keita's names.
And Nashi could even bring herself to stand.
"This is bad, they can't even stand!" Lucy heard Natsu shouted as she kept her eyes glued to the arena. "We've practically lost, even after she boosted herself!"
"Don't be so quick to judge, Salamander!" Gajeel shouted back. She heard the two butt heads. "Our girls got this!"
"You've never even been on the receiving end of that attack!"
"Neither have you!"
"Closer than you ever were pal!" Lucy tuned out the man children arguing.
Nashi...My little girl...
When Lucy gave it some thought, the past year had been the most incredible year since she'd become a mother. To see her baby girl grow from an introverted, unable to use magic, depressed mess to the amazingly talented and powerful wizard currently trying to get to her feet, it made her chest well up with pride.
I always knew she had it in her...and now look at her.
Lucy looked down at her daughter. She'd managed to get to her feet, and was watching Michael and Keita's attack grow.
And right now...
Lucy looked down at her hand.
Right now...
She clenched it into a fist as Natsu and Gajeel continued to argue.
Right now my baby girl needs the support of her family.
Lucy stepped towards the edge of the stand, making everyone turn to look at her.
She shot her hand up into the sky, pointing her forefinger and thumb towards the sky.
You're more powerful than you could even imagine right now, Nashi...
I know you've got it in you.
Four more hands shot up into the air.
Drake, Ultear, Simon, and Damien all saluted the girls as well. Soon, the rest of the guild joined in. Nashi tilted her head slightly to look at her friends and family, all sending them the signal.
Thanks, mom...
"HOLY SHADOW DRAGON'S FANG FLASH!"
She turned back to find Michael and Keita launching their Unison Raid, and the explosive force of the Light and Shadow rocketed towards Nashi and Elise. It blew through all the debris, and came for them without stopping.
"Use everything left in the tank, Elise." Nashi said. Elise chuckled.
The girls joined hands and intertwined their fingers, taking a similar stance to the boys, and closed their eyes
"You took the words right out of my mouth, Nashi." As the Light and Darkness got halfway to them, Nashi and Elise opened their eyes and aimed their conjoined hands forward.
"DRAGON-GOD SLAYER SECRET ART! DIVINE OBSIDIAN IRON/LOTUS SUPERNOVA/BARRAGE!"
The black and red fire left Nashi's hand, and merged with the iron pillars rising from the ground and both shot towards the Holy Shadow Dragon's Fang Flash.
The attacks collided in the center of the stadium, causing an explosion that encompassed the entire battlefield and, when it couldn't expand anymore forward thanks to the magic barrier, it shot into the sky and through the clouds.
SWEET MERCIFUL GOD ABOVE! WHAT EXPLOSIVE FORCE FROM THE FOUR DRAGON SLAYERS! ONE QUESTION REMAINS: WHO'S STILL STANDING!"
The crowd was dead silent, other contestants as well. No one spoke as word as smoke blew around the arena.
No one even dared to blink, fearing they may miss what happened.
Finally, the smoke started to fade away., and everyone held their breath.
Two figures were lying on the ground, and everyone waited.
The outline of two standing appeared, and you could almost hear the sweat dropping to the ground.
Finally, the four figures were revealed.
Michael and Keita were spread eagle on their backs, staring up at the sky.
While Nashi and Elise were still standing. The two girls hands shot into the air, still holding each others.
.
.
.
The screams and cheering could've easily been heard a few miles out from the city of Crocus. No one was even thinking, they were just screaming.
THAT'S IT! THAT'S IT! NASHI DRAGNEEL AND ELISE REDFOX WAS DEFEATED MICHAEL EUCLIFFE AND KEITA CHENEY! THEY'VE EARNED FAIRY TAIL TEN ASTOUNDING POINTS! I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO SAY!"
Sting smiled and cracked his back.
"About time they got this over with." He said, observing the damage done to the arena as a whole.
"What were you doing, Onii-chan?!" Ally shouted angrily, looking absolutely livid. "You lost!"
Juno watched as both boys struggled to even move.
"I guess they lost then." Kyoko said, sounding sad.
"I guess." Juno agreed, taking a deep breath. She made a face as Blake pushed past her and walked away. "Where are you going?" She asked him.
"Got someone to talk too." He replied, throwing up a hand over his back to wave. "Give Michael and Keita my regards." Juno nodded, but watched as the tan Plasma mage retreated into the darkness of the arena.
What did he mean he's got someone to talk too...?
The sky was rather pretty with a cloud in it that was pierced from the sheer power displayed below. Michael inhaled deeply, watching a flock of birds fly over him.
"I lost." He stated flatly. "That sucks." He gritted his teeth weakly and clenched his fists. "After all that big talk...I fucking lost to her..."
A hand appeared in his vision.
He made a face and picked his head up a bit to see what was going on.
"Need a hand?" Nashi asked, smiling kindly down at him. He just stared back at her.
"W-What are you...?" He asked weakly. Nashi smiled even wider and gestured her hand forward, obviously wanting him to take it.
"That was an amazing fight!" She complimented. "You sure are something else, Michael. I'd love the chance to go at you again someday!" Michael made a face at the girl. Why was she not just reveling in her victory? She didn't owe him help, she didn't owe him anything.
Still, the gesture alone was nice.
Michael decided not to be rude, and grasped her hand. He was surprised to feel Nashi actually pull on him and help him up. Once he was on his feet, he turned to find Elise helping Keita up.
"What an amazing display of good sportsmanship!" Ross announced. "Let's give these teenagers a round of applause everyone, they've earned it!" The crowd began to clap and cheer, making Michael look around at them. He lost, so why was he getting cheered.
He looked over at Nashi, and realized he was still holding her hand. She smiled and him again, and he felt heat rush to his face.
Not the fire kind of heat, either.
This girl...
"Hey, uh, Michael?"
"Hm?" He snapped out of his trance and looked her in the eyes. A breeze blew past, and Michael watched as Nashi swayed in it like a twig.
"I hate to impose because we don't really know each other very well..." Nashi started to fall forward. "Could you please hold me up?" Michael panicked, almost dropped her, but managed to wrap his arms around her upper body and keep her up. He looked over to find Keita doing the same for Elise, and they met each others gaze.
Keita shrugged, and Michael chuckled.
"You're lucky we fell first." he told Nashi. "You're out of magic too, aren't you?"
"Yeah...That Secret Art took the rest of it from me..." Her face was buried in his bare chest, and he could feel her cheeks burning up. "I also told you I wanted to avoid getting in tabloids." Michael laughed.
"Sorry for catching you, then." he replied sarcastically.
Standing neat the edge of the Domus Flau, was a man. A man wearing a black cloak that obscured his face.
He watched as the girls were caught by Their opponents, and sighed.
Lucky those boys can even still function, unlike myself...Then again the attack that took me out was a six way Unison Raid, so...
He brought his real arm up to his head and activated his telepathy.
"Zeus, did you see that?" He asked in his metallic tone. He hard the the old man hum in acknowledgement.
"I did. Our sleeper cell will be giving us a report shortly."
"Should I move in?"
"No. Stay away until our sleeper agent can commence his portion of the plan. Once he has reported in, we will tell you whether or not you're needed"
"Understood."
"Do not cause trouble. If anyone suspects you, especially the Fairies, it'll only cause trouble."
"I know."
"You'd better." After the old master of the Olympians severed the connection, the man brought his cloaked face up to the scoreboard.
Fairy Tail: 93 pts
Sabertooth: 84 pts
Lamia Scale: 54 pts
Blue Pegasus: 46 pts
Mermaid Heel: 40 pts
Quatro Cerberus: 31 pts
He looked down from the scores towards the pink haired girl who was being held up by Michael Eucliffe.
Nashi Dragneel...I sure do hope you're ready.
And the 5th day comes to a completion with a nearly 4,500 word chapter! I hope you guys enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!