So...Hey guys! It's me. There's an important matter I must address before we start today's chapter, and it's very important. So please, do not just skip this authors note.
If you guys read the Fairy Tail manga (Which I would hope you do if you're reading this), you guys no doubt have seen chapter 474.
If you guys don't read this as it's published and what happened in said chapter no longer becomes an issue, than ignore this. But as of now, for the first time, Hiro has written something in the Alvarez arc that outright contradicts something I did, at least to an extent. Not saying I blame him, this fic is a dangerous guessing game, as is any next-generation fanfiction of a unfinished work.
So I'm using this chance to reiterate what I've been saying for a long time now: This story's plot was finalized with pre-Alvarez in my mind. If something I've already planned out and alluded to gets a contradiction in canon, it sadly has to be ignored. I can't change that.
Someone is still alive? Might be too late. The parent of a certain character end up dead? Possibly too late. A certain ship that has given birth too one of my characters doesn't happen and so and so ends up with a different partner by the end? Too little too late.
I'll use a very blatant example for you. Say, for whatever reason, Juvia dies. Not saying it will happen, but if for some reason it does, I can't just take her out of the story and act like her daughter, one of the six main protagonists, doesn't exist anymore. It's not possible.
Or perhaps this less important factor from the chapter in question, Lyon saying Meredy is cute ends up with them being a couple by the end. Do I just despawn Winter? I can't, she's a semi-important side character. Do I add a son or daughter for Lyon x Meredy? I can't really, we're in too deep.
The point I'm trying to make is that if anything gets contradicted, please do your best to ignore it. Although it may not seem obvious, I have done my best to stick closely to canon. Picking ships and making their kids based on what I think would happen, for example. Granted some have been a stretch, like Lyon x Chelia, or another certain ship I can't reveal yet. I've made exceptions, and I now have to ask you guys to do the same for anything that no longer makes sense with a constantly changing canon.
This is also my reasoning for the number of kids in the story with only their mom or dad, like Juno or Mami. I don't want to just add some random shoehorned character to be their missing parent. It'd feel wrong to do so. I'd rather the missing parental half not exist whatsoever.
Please? If I can do it as the author, I'm certain you guys can turn a blind eye.
Enjoy!
The wind caused the smoke to billow around him, but Michael payed it no mind.
What the hell had happened?
The hotel was completely gone, replaced by what he assumed to be the remains of it. He couldn't see Fairy Tail's team anywhere, either.
"What the hell happened here?" He asked himself aloud. "It's like a god damn bomb went off..." Michael stepped closer to the wreckage, and paused. What was going on? Someone had gone through a lot of trouble to not only cause this without anyone else hearing about it until he'd found out, but also to hide it. Had it been a spiteful fanboy? Another competitor?
Perhaps something more sinister?
"This is so fucked up..." he hissed, clenching his fists. "I don't even know what to think...Nashi?! Elise?! Anyone?!"
No one answered him. which only worried him more.
He was going to catch the bastard that did this, and he was going to make them pay. Dearly.
"No...No, I can't do that right now." Michael rubbed his face and looked at the wreck again with refined purpose.
"I need to make sure everyone's okay. If they're even here, that is."
Natsu watched as Yuki and Grace started a fight with Taro and Nikki, wondering just where the hell there team was, because it was starting to worry him. They still had to make their appearance. Was it out of drama? Or were they in trouble?
"They're running out of comfort time." Mira said. "Cut it any closer and Sabertooth won't be reachable."
"Cutting it close, indeed." Gray said.
"I'll be right back." Natsu turned to see Laxus leaving their stand. "I need to go and ask something of Ross.
"What is it?" Erza asked. Laxus sopped and looked back at them.
"I'm going to have him send over a lacrima to see if they're at their hotel. Just in case." Natsu made a face.
"Why not just go and check yourself?" He asked. Laxus frowned.
"Why do you think we were moved to a different hotel last night?" The Guild Master asked. "Or why no one is in the city right now? Partially for safety, and also to prevent any last minute dirty tactics. Going out there myself might not be the best idea." Natsu understood the intent of the Games committee, but there was really no need for such precautions. Who cared enough about the Games to cheat? After all, it was just for fun.
Turning back to the lacrima vision, Natsu watched Rina and Mami started to fight, which made him even more nervous. Sabertooth has gone an all out offensive, and it had gained them a shit ton of points thus far. They were right to worry about where their kids were, seeing as they were quickly losing their chance to come back.
"Would you look at that!" Natsu took notice of a different fight taking over every lacrima vision screen, the two vs two between Lamia Scale and Blue Pegasus. All four wizards were lying around the destroyed street, not moving. "It would appear that this battle has ended in a draw! Both Blue Pegasus and Lamia Scale have earned two points!"
"It was a good showing." Hisui added. "I hope no one got seriously injured."
"Agreed, your Highness! Today is slowly winding down, but...Hm? Master Laxus?" Ross went silent for a moment, and the crowd seemed to be curious as to what he was doing off the microphone. "Oh..Oh, yes! Most certainly!"
"Attention, everyone." Hisui announced. "We will be diverting a lacrima to Fairy Tail's hotel to see if their team is present. Their Master, Laxus Dreyar, suspects something may be wrong." This seemed to mp the crowd up even more, as if the prospect of the team being hurt of involved in foul play excited them. The lacrima previously broadcasting the fight between Yuki, Grace, Taro and Nikki turned to it's left and soared into the air, and towards the hotel. Everyone was waiting silently, waiting to see if anything was wrong there.
"I still feel like something wrong.." Lucy murmured next to Natsu. Natsu decided to be optimistic.
"Don't be like that." He said. "I'm sure nothing is wrong..."
Of course the lacrima decided that exact moment to pick up the smoke billowing into the sky. Natsu felt a rock settle in his stomach as the lacrima got closer, making it painfully obvious what the smoke was coming from.
"Of course..." He hissed. The lacrima made it too the hotel and hovered above it, looking down upon what was left of it. "What the hell happened?"
"The hotel..." Levy said. "What the hell happened to it?"
"What is this?!" Ross shouted. "It seems we may be witnessing the aftereffect of foul play everyone!"
"Don't be so quick to judge, Ross." Hisui said in a much calmer tone. "It may have been turn to pieces during a battle we did not get to see, so don't be so hasty. Bring the lacrima down closer to the hotel, please." The the Queen's request, the lacrima started to descend. The closer it got did not quell the storm brewing in Natsu's stomach.
A figure was standing near the former entrance. Natsu clenched his fists.
"What the hell is that kid doing there?" he demanded.
"Hm?! What is Michael Eucliffe doing there?!...No! Could it be he...?!"
"I would not rule it out, Ross." Hisui agreed. "Although they are indeed very powerful, he might have taken them hotel out, and them with it." Michael was standing right next to the hotel, watching the wreckage, and this made Sting watch his son.
"No way he did that..." Rufus said quietly.
"Maybe one of them..." Rogue agreed. "But surely not all of them, and the hotel." All Sting did was watch as his son watched the wreckage. Surely enough, Michael started to move.
Towards the ruins.
Everyone present in the Domus Flau watched as Michael Eucliffe began to dig around the remains of the hotel.
"What is he doing?" Minerva asked. Sting smiled.
"He's making sure they're okay, obviously."
Michael walked in between giant chunks of rocks, looking for a sign that anyone was in the debris anywhere.
"Hello?!" he called again, walking towards the center. "Are you guys here? Guys!" He still didn't get a response. "Fuck..." Looking to his left, Michael leaned down and pulled at a piece of debris, causing it to move and reveal the bare earth behind it. He could still make out the design of the floor tiles there. Throwing it back down, Michael crossed his arms and turned around, looking around the rest of it. Were they somewhere in there?
The sound of debris being pushed caught his attention.
Looking around quickly, he spotted a large chunk of rock being pushed slightly forward, before falling back to lean on another. He rushed over to it as quickly as he could, and grabbed the edges of it. He pulled, and combined with the push of whoever was behind it, the debris fell down, revealing Drake sitting behind the debris with his leg pinned down by another chunk.
"Drake!" Michael said, revealed he'd found someone. "You okay man?! What the hell happened?" The Poison Dragon pulled at his leg in vain and cursed under his breath.
"I don't..fucking know...Fuck!" The man cursed and swatted the ground with his hand. A little help, Michael?" Michael nodded and aimed an open palm at the debris pinning him, freeing Drake. "Ugh, thanks."
"No problem." Michael offered the Poison Dragon a hand up, who took it and stood unsteadily. "Do you have any idea what the hell happened?"
"Not a fucking clue." Drake replied, nursing the leg that was pinned. "One thing we're all talking and discussing strategies and next fucking thing I know something explodes and I black out."
"Jeez...Well listen, help me find the others! They must still be down here somewhere."
"Got it. I'll check over there." Michael nodded and headed in the opposite direction, looking for anymore signs of those trapped beneath what remained of the Lunar Peaks.
Natsu watched as Michael and Drake worked together to free the others, who all looked pretty banged up, but were able to stand.
"What an amazing display!" Ross shouted. "Michael Eucliffe puts the Games aside to help out team Fairy Tail! What a display of good sportsmanship!"
"Agreed." Hisui said. "However, it is down to Fairy Tail's team to decided whether or not they'll call foul play, which will cause today to be temporarily stopped and restarted another time."
"...You think they'll call it out?"Kinana asked. No one answered her for a moment, until Natsu chuckled.
"Not a fucking chance."
It was dark and damp, not at all to Nashi's liking. What the hell was going on? One moment she was discussing the next day with her friends, next moment she feels buried alive. Her body ached and some of her bandages from two days prior seemed singed and torn, but she couldn't place why.
A ray of light shot through the rocks above Nashi's head, making her wince as sunlight came through it. Another explosion, and more rocks were torn away. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the final burst of light tore all the debris away, exposing Nashi to the outside. The sun felt good, at the very least. Until, of course, a figure blocked the light.
"Who...?" Nashi asked weakly, shielding her eyes. The figure bent down, and she was given a closer look at them.
"Need a hand?" Michael asked with a smile, his hand outstretched towards her. Nashi watched him in confusion before she smiled and took his hand. He pulled, causing her to be freed from her tomb. She tripped and nearly landed head first in his chest again, but she managed to regain her footing before that happened, thank God.
"Where did you come from?" She asked, having not let go of his hand yet. Michael chuckled.
"You guys didn't show." he said. "I got worried and decided to play detective. Turns out I'm a damn good one."
"Didn't show?" Michael jabbed a thumb out to the sky, where a giant scoreboard was being displayed across the city.
"The final days started." Michael said. "And you guys have been a no show for most of it." Nashi's eyes widened in surprise. Who'd caused this? Because whoever'd done it clearly acted out of spite. With Michael's help, albeit sh refused it at first, Nashi limped over to the others, who were all sitting on a large chunk of their hotel and getting their bearings.
"Are you all alright?" She asked worriedly, and Drake gave her a thumbs up despite using the other hand to massage one leg.
"Just fine." he replied.
"So, Michael." it was Simon who spoke, who was sporting a pretty bad looking set of bruises and marks on his good sword arm. "Do you know what happened?" Michael made a face and turned away, staring up at the sky.
"Not a clue." He replied. "I was wondering why you guys hadn't cemented your win yet, so I did some digging, which ended up being figuratively and literally." Nashi slowly sat down, giving her aching body a moment to rest.
"The fucker who did this..." Damien said. "Do you know who they are?"
"..No" The seven of them were silent before Michael sighed, and turned to the lacrima surveying them from above. "Fuck, this is stupid. It's not fair. If I was you guys I'd call foul play and suspend the day from the records. There's no way you guys can fight in this condition, especially Nashi or Elise. Not to mention my guild is doing work right now."
No one spoke up to stop him, so Michael sighed.
"So I guess the days over huh? Damn, I was hoping..."
Nashi slammed a fist down into the pavement, shattering it and creating a hole. Michael looked down at her in surprise.
"Like hell it's over." She said loudly. "If we can stand and walk, we aren't calling foul play."
"Huh?" Michael asked in surprise. Elise chuckled darkly and staggered to her feet.
"All we gotta do is take down some fodder." She said. "You think we can't manage that? Get the fuck outta here." The others all staggered to their feet as well, some less easily then others.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Michael said. "You guys got attacked! Some of you can barely stand for fuck sake! Don't be idiots! Take a day or two, regather yourselves, and you can try again later!"
"Not a chance." Ultear answered, wincing as she stood up straight. "We'll be fine, we've survived worst." Michael gritted his teeth.
"You people are insane..." he hissed. Nashi limped up to Michael and got right in his face, making him back up a bit.
"If we can still stand and tell the opposition we'll fight, then we fucking fight." She declared, keeping her gaze firmly on Michael's. "That's the why it's been forever, and that's the way it stays. You want to get in our way, you'll see just how much power we still got. So, you trying to get in the way?"
Michael held Nashi's fiery gaze for a little longer than he was comfortable for, as he felt she was burning a hole in his very soul.
These guys...
Michael looked past Nashi, and none of the other five looked any less determined. And they were all waiting for him to say if he planned to be a problem.
Even after they got cheapened out of fair fights, even not at full power...
He didn't understand. Anyone else he knew would've fallen and given up. They would have rolled over and cried foul play, and gotten the Games to stop and restarted the final day at another time.
Yet here they were, waiting to see if they had to put him down.
Michael returned his gaze to Nashi, who had not stopped glaring into his very being.
The fire that burned in her eyes...
He'd already experienced it.
"I've survived tougher"
"Oh yeah?"
"You couldn't even imagine."
It was the same fire as then. The fire of the girl who'd survived 'worse. The fire of someone who'd gone through those very same experiences with the same philosophy.
Of course...It's not the fire of a fucking quitter.
Michael chuckled and closed his eyes.
"I should've known." he said. "Your fire burns quite intensely, Nashi. It's hard to look at directly."
"S-Shut up." Michael wasn't sure where her defiant tone had gone, but it didn't matter.
"If you don't want to call it, then don't. But don't come crying to me if you end up near death."
"We'll write you a fucking postcard" Elise said sarcastically. Michael nodded, and then turned to look up at the lacrima. He held his arms out wide.
"Listen up Ross! I'm surrendering to Fairy Tail! You hear me?!"
"What the hell are you doing Michael?!" Nashi demanded, but Ross cleared his throat.
"W-Well, it seems Michael Eucliffe will surrender to Fairy Tail! This gives them 94 points!"
"What do you think you're doing?!" Nashi shouted. She sounded angry. However, it was Michael's turn to act calm and collected.
"Sorry, but I'd rather not win our fight win you're in such sad shape." he turned to look at her and winked. "Ain't that right, Nashi?" The girl's cheeks went the color of her hair, but she sighed and nodded.
"Alright, that makes sense." Michael turned to the others.
"From what I know, the biggest threat remaining is the rest of my team. A few others as well. Terra, Nami, Bella, the like. You guys sure you can handle this?" Damien nodded and crossed his arms.
"We'll be fine." He then turned to the others. "We splitting up?" Drake nodded and rolled up the sleeves of his coat.
"It'd make the most sense." He agreed. "We'd cover more ground and therefor get more points." Elise cackled and punched her open palm.
"Let's get this started." She said. The team started to walk off, and Michael smiled as they went.
They have a certain kind of strength...The kind that let's you get up after the world has already told you to stay down...I'm almost jealous.
Michael was broken out of his trance as Nashi approached him once more.
"Nashi?" He asked. The pinkette grabbed him by the collar of his coat, and got right in his face.
"Don't think you're off the hook with me." She hissed under her breath. Michael's senses were being overloaded by her scent, which was an odd combination of burning firewood and...lavender? "We aren't done yet." Michael laughed even as he tried to organize his jumbled thoughts.
"I'll kick your ass on fair terms." He told her. "Hit me up after the Games, Nashi. We'll talk then." Nashi smiled devilishly and let him go, which gave him a sensible amount of space to collect himself. He dusted himself off as she walked away. "And hey, maybe we stay friends too." Nashi stopped and looked over her shoulder at him, a smile that made his mind freeze, which was weird given her magic.
"I'd like that."
The two watched each other quietly.
"...G-Get going." Michael said, looking away from her. Nashi jumped and looked away, the tips of her ears red.
"R-right." She said, speeding away to look for an opponent. Michael watched her go before he turned his gaze to the sky.
Nashi Dragneel...Is a different kind of girl.
Now the real last day can begin! And please, if you guys skipped the author note, please go back and read it, it's important. Also, if you'd like to discuss the problem in question, feel free to PM me and we can talk. I'm always free! And as always, I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!