A/N: Episode 248.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE: ATTACK OF THE CELESTIALS
"Lucy-sama! Are you okay?" Hana asked, crawling over to her.
"Yeah, are you?" Lucy questioned.
"I think so." Hana responded, looking at the red-like goo surrounding the place. "What happened?"
"Natsu! Where are you?!" Lucy shouted.
"Akame-sama! Zack-sama!" Hana called out. "Chii! Jim!"
The whole entire cube began to shake, getting the Magnolia's townspeople attention.
"What is that gigantic thing?!"
"A giant monster?!"
"Did that destroy the guild?"
Plutogrim roared once more, causing the civilians to cover their ears as the buildings began to dissolve. The civilians soon began to run.
"Kardia Cathedral!"
"Run!"
"It's destroying the town!"
Inside the cube, both Lucy and Hana were covering their ears due to the loud noise.
"What's that sound?!" Lucy questioned.
"It's so loud!" Hana complained.
'Members of Tartaros...' Mard Geer's voice soon appeared in Lucy and Hana's heads, getting their attention. 'Alegria has disposed of the intruders. The Face project is proceeding on schedule.'
"King of the Underworld! Hooray!"
"Disposed of the intruders?!" Lucy thinks to herself, glancing over at Hana who shrugged, having no clue either. "And didn't Wendy stop the Face project?!"
Lucy and Hana both looked up, seeing green water splashing in.
"What is this?!" Lucy exclaimed.
'However... it seems two humans have somehow escaped Alegria. The soldier who kills them shall fill the vacant position in the Ten Demon Gates.' Mard Geer continued.
"Seriously?!"
"I'll become one of the Ten Demon Gates!"
'If one of the Ten Demon Gates murders them, they will be rewarded by Mard Geer. That is all.' Mard Geer concluded.
Lucy and Hana were holding onto two logs. "I really don't know what happened, but everyone's alive, right? I have to believe that!" Lucy told herself.
"I found them!"
Two Tartaros soldiers were surfing on two logs through the water.
"Humans!"
"I'll take them both out!"
"We'll see about that!" Lucy exclaimed as her and Hana stood up on their logs. Lucy sent her whip straight at the three Tartaros soldiers.
"There they are!"
"Advance!"
"Take this!"
Lucy used her whip to tie herself to the ceiling, sending a kick at one of the soldiers before flying back down.
"You...!"
"Lucy-sama!" Hana shouted, taking out a silver key.
"Right!" Lucy replied, taking out a gold key.
"Gate of the Plant Guardian, I open thee!"
"Gate of the Archer, I open thee!"
Both Hana and Lucy held their keys up in the air.
"Lily!"
"Sagittarius!"
Two door chimes were heard as a dark-green haired woman soon appeared, followed by Sagittarius.
Sagittarius fired an arrow at one of the Tartaros soldiers while Lily used her vines to attack the other, taking them both down. Lucy gave them a thumbs up. Both Lucy and Hana spotted Lummy in the distance.
"Promotion! Promotion! I'll join the ranks of the Ten Demon Gates!" Lummy exclaimed.
"I'll take care of this one!" Sagittarius informed, firing his arrows which bounced off of Lummy.
Lily tried using her vines, but like Sagittarius, it bounced right off.
"My arrows!" Sagittarius exclaimed.
"And my vines!" Lily added.
"Projectiles don't work on my slippery Curse!" Lummy said before leaping into the air. "See?!"
Lummy knocked down Sagittarius and Lily.
"I close Sagittarius's gate!" Lucy shouted.
"Lily, return!" Hana yelled.
Both Sagittarius and Lily disappeared back into the Celestial Spirit World as Lucy pulled out another key.
"Gate of the Maiden, I open thee!" Lucy called out as another door chime was heard and Virgo appeared in a swimsuit and on a log. "Virgo!"
"Leave her to me, Princess!" Virgo said.
"What the hell?! You're a maid?! And your character's like a duplicate of mine!" Lummy spoke in irritation.
"How so?" Virgo asked as Lucy and Hana both crashed down on the logs they were on.
"Princess! Something's coming!" Virgo warned as Torafuzar charged down.
"Gate of the Lion, I open thee!"
"Gate of the Fox, I open thee!"
Both Lucy and Hana held their respective gate keys up and two door chimes were heard. Loke and an orange-haired teenager appeared.
"Loke!"
"Vulpecula!"
Loke and Vulpecula both struck Torafuzar before they reached Lucy and Hana.
"You face my blade empty-handed?" Torafuzar questioned.
"I'm surprised that the power of Regulus can't fully protect me." Loke claimed.
"What a monster." Vulpecula insulted.
"Are you okay, Loke?!" Lucy asked.
"Fine, fine." Loke replied.
"Vulpecula!" Hana called out in worry.
"I'm all right, mon amor." Vulpecula reassured.
"Whoa, two hotties!" Lummy drooled.
"And how is it that you think our characters overlap?" Virgo questioned.
"Torafuzar-sama, please let Lummy do the meritorious deed!" Lummy offered.
"I'm not interested in meritorious deeds!" Torafuzar rejected as he slammed his fist down, causing Loke and Vulpecula to move out of the way. "I'm just here to carry out a mission!"
"Lucy, Hana, leave this one to us!" Loke said, referring to him and Vulpecula as the two spirits attacked Torafuzar while Virgo was trying to attack Lummy, who dodged her attacks.
Lucy was breathing heavily while Hana gave her a look of concern. "Simultaneous release... Looks like it's hard on her." Virgo thinks to herself.
"Especially because you and I use a lot of Magic, Virgo." Loke thought. "For Lucy's sake..."
"For the princess's sake..."
"...let's finish this!" Loke and Vulpecula both struck Torafuzar.
"...let's make this quick!" Virgo kicks Lummy down.
The three spirits continued fighting their opponents as both Lucy and Hana continued on their way.
"We found them!"
Lucy and Hana looked up to see Jackal and Fenris, both of them grinning.
"Jackal-kun and Fenris-kun?!" Lummy said.
"A third and forth one?!" Virgo exclaimed.
"This is bad!" Loke said.
"Be careful, mon amor!" Vulpecula warned.
"You're not going anywhere!" Torafuzar exclaimed as both Loke and Vulpecula blocked his attack with their Magic.
"What's this? They're both not alone." Fenris noticed.
"Oh, well." Jackal added.
"I thought he blew up!" Lucy thinks to herself. "I see..."
"We can be resurrected again and again. As long as we've got the lab, we can be reborn endlessly. We're functionally immortal!"
"Even Natsu and Akame had a hard time against those two. But I can't summon any more Celestial Spirits!" Lucy pulled out her whip. "I have to do this myself!"
Her whip latches onto Jackal's wrist, making him grin. "You haven't forgotten about my Curse, have you?" He taunted.
Explosions went through her whip, causing both Lucy and Hana to fly back as the two of them crashed into the water below.
"Lucy!" Loke called out.
"Princess!" Virgo shouted.
"Mon amor!" Vulpecula yelled.
Lucy and Hana grabbed onto their logs. "What happened to our friends?!" Hana questioned.
Jackal laughed as he continued attacking Lucy and Hana, making them both scream out. Jackal continued throwing down explosions through the water.
"Don't play. If you're going to kill them, just do it." Torafuzar said.
"You're no fun, Torafuzar." Fenris scoffed.
"The fireball and blue cat are already dead." Jackal claimed.
"Not to mention that bloodsucker and the other one." Fenris added.
"The only way I can temper this irritation is by tormenting the last ones left, these two women!" Jackal shouted as another explosion appeared.
"Princess!" Virgo yelled.
"Even though summoning us is already draining on her Magic..." Loke noted.
Both Lucy and Hana were moving through the water. "They're not dead... Everyone's alive!" Lucy tried to reassure herself.
"Besides, Akame-sama, Zack-sama, and Ezekiel-sama wouldn't go down that easily..." Hana thought.
"I feel everyone's Magic!" Lucy thinks to herself.
Images of her guildmates appeared in Lucy's mind while images of Akame, Zack, and Ezekiel appeared in Hana's, along with Chii and Jim.
"Lucy!"
"They all saved me time and time again." Lucy recalled.
"Don't die yet!" Jackal exclaimed as heat came from his hand.
"Now it's my turn to save them!" Lucy told herself.
"If it wasn't for Twilight Phoenix, I don't know where I would be right now..." Hana thinks to herself.
"There!" Jackal shouted, aiming an explosion at Lucy while Fenris's hand glowed purple. Hana screamed as she felt something attack her from her insides.
"Lucy!" Loke called out in worry while Vupecula had a worried look etched on his face.
"I will not give in!" Lucy thought as her and Hana appeared from the water. "I won't!"
"Damn you! I'm going to beat your ass!" Hana exclaimed, taking out another silver key as it glowed.
"Don't do it, mon amor! You're not strong enough to handle the opening of two gates!" Vulpecula warned.
"Not until I save everyone..." Lucy noted as she pulled out another key, causing it to glow.
"Princess! You mustn't! That's..." Virgo started to say.
"Gate of the Water Bearer, I open thee!"
"Gate of the Speedster, I open thee!"
Lucy pointed the key down while Hana raised hers.
"Aquarius!"
"Fulgur!"
"The princess's body can't withstand it!" Virgo shouted.
"Keeping three gates open at once?!" Loke added.
"That woman... Opening two gates... What is she thinking?" Vulpecula wondered.
Lucy collapsed to her knees as Hana eventually joined her. "Please..." Lucy muttered as Aquarius appeared behind her in the water and Hana was caught by Fulgur.
"Idiot..." Aquarius mumbled.
Aquarius was holding onto Lucy while Fulgur held Hana in his arms, both Celestial Wizards were exhausted.
"Lucy!" Loke shouted.
"Princess!" Virgo yelled.
"Mon amor!" Vupecula called out.
"You came..." Lucy mumbled.
"I'll say it one more time. You're an idiot." Aquarius said.
Lucy smiled. "I know..." She agreed.
"Fulgur... I'm sorry..." Hana apologized.
The spiky blonde-haired boy sighed. "You really shouldn't test your limits, y'know?" He scolded, placing Hana gently down on the ground.
"Yeah..." Hana agreed.
Lightning appeared behind Fulgur while Aquarius gathered water into her urn.
"Who's that?!" Jackal questioned.
"My..." Lucy started to say.
"Get back, little girl!" Aquarius ordered.
Fulgur leaped into the air as he punched Fenris in the stomach, knocking him down. "Fenris!" Jackal shouted in worry before he joined Fenris as he was knocked down by Aquarius's water.
"Lucy, that's enough!" Loke yelled.
"Please, here's your chance to close one of the gates!" Virgo shouted.
Torafuzar was swimming underwater. "He's swimming through my water?" Aquarius questioned in shock.
"This is my element!" Torafuzar claimed, appearing in front of Aquarius and striking her on the shoulder, causing her to scream out.
"Aquarius!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Dammit!" Loke said.
"I'm on my way!" Virgo informed.
"No, you aren't!" Jackal shouted as him and Fenris appeared behind Loke, Vulpecula, and Virgo.
"Crap..."
Jackal attacked Loke and Virgo while Fenris struck Vulpecula.
"Loke! Virgo!" Lucy called out.
"Vulpecula!" Hana yelled.
Lucy and Hana suddenly got attacked from underneath the water, sending them flying.
Virgo, Loke, and Vulpecula started to disappear.
"With just one blow..." Virgo started to say.
"I'm sorry, Lucy..." Loke apologized.
"Forgive me, mon amor." Vulpecula said.
Aquarius clenched her shoulder as dark red blood stained the concrete. Lucy and Hana both crashed to the ground.
"What, summoning three at once was her trump card?" Jackal asked.
"Seems like the other woman's limit is two." Fenris claimed.
"But they both used up so much Magic that it looks like they can't even move now." Lummy added.
"I'll kill them both with one strike." Torafuzar said.
"That's boring." Jackal claimed.
"That's right! We've got to draw it out!" Lummy agreed. "But I get the credit for the kills!"
Fenris glanced at Torafuzar. "This is why I can't stand you. You always want to end things quickly." He added.
"We can't let it end here." Lucy told herself.
"We've got to save everyone!" Hana thought as her and Lucy carefully hunched over.
"We've got to..." Lucy's thoughts trailed off.
Jackal and Fenris both snapped their fingers, attacking both Lucy and Hana, causing them to wince in pain. The two covered their mouths, trying not to scream. Jackal cackled while Fenris smirked.
"What's with those pathetic faces?!" Lummy questioned as she laughed weirdly.
Lucy and Hana gritted their teeth as they both were sweating. Jackal and Fenris snickered.
"Enough! If you two won't do it, I will." Torafuzar claimed.
"Huh?" Jackal said.
"Whose side are you on?" Fenris questioned. "We could always start with you."
Lummy rushed forward. "This is going nowhere. Do what you want." Torafuzar said, turning away and making Jackal cackle once more.
"You don't have to tell us that!" He claimed.
"What should we do next, Jackal-kun, Fenris-kun?" Lummy asked as she was holding onto both Lucy and Hana. "I suggest blowing up these bazoombas!"
"Boom! Boom! Boom..."
Jackal gripped onto Lummy's head before exploding it, taking both Lucy and Hana by surprise. "You annoy me." Jackal stated.
"It's about time you finally do that." Fenris sighed. "I can't count how many times that weirdo has given me a headache."
"Your own comrade..." Lucy mumbled.
"Never mind her. Imagine what we're going to do to the both of you." Jackal claimed.
"Let's have some fun, shall we?" Fenris said.
A sudden wave of water appeared and attacked Jackal while Fenris was kicked away from Hana in a flash, causing him to fall into the water alongside Jackal.
"What the...?!" Jackal questioned to himself as he appeared from the surface with Fenris at his side.
Aquarius had grabbed ahold of Lucy while Fulgur carried Hana in his arms bridal style.
"Aquarius..." Lucy muttered.
"This water can't..." Jackal started to say as the water continued pushing both him and Fenris back.
"Lucy... All I can do is slow them down. It's the same with the other Celestial Spirits. They're too strong." Aquarius informed.
"Yeah..." Lucy agreed.
"But I'm not saying you don't have a chance. I can only keep them both at bay for a short period of time. Listen to me, Lucy. Any Celestial Spirit wizard who can summon three spirits at once can do this. Summon the Celestial Spirit King!" Aquarius ordered.
"Celestial Spirit King...?" Lucy repeated.
"Huh? Is that actually possible?" Hana asked Fulgur.
"Yes. But it comes with a price." Fulgur replied, making Hana tilt her head in confusion.
"As you know, he's the most powerful Celestial Spirit in our world. He can annihilate the enemy with one celestial strike." Aquarius continued.
"But I don't have his key." Lucy informed.
"There is no physical key for the Celestial Spirit King. But his gate can be opened by with a special kind of key. Summoning with a price. By destroying one of the gold keys, you can open the Celestial Spirit King's gate just once." Aquarius explained.
Lucy widened her eyes. "Destroy... a gold key?" She repeated in her head.
"What is this water?!" Jackal exclaimed angrily.
"And not just any key will do. If the bond between master and Celestial Spirit isn't strong, the gate won't open." Aquarius continued as she had both of her arms out.
"I can't do that! I won't! You're all dear friends, and I couldn't bear to lose any..." Lucy started to decline.
"Destroy my key." Aquarius said. "I'm not sure if the degree of trust that's required is there, but we've known each other a long time, so it should pass muster."
"What are you saying?" Lucy questioned.
"Do it to save your friends!" Aquarius said.
"You're one of my friends too, Aquarius! I can't sacrifice one friend to save others! There must be some other way! I won't give up!" Lucy argued.
"If there were some other way, do you think I would propose this?! This is the only way..." Aquarius said.
"No!" Lucy shook her head in refusal. "I won't do it!"
"Lucy, there's no time... I don't have any strength left..."
"I won't do it!"
"Destroying my key doesn't mean I'll die. It just mean... we'll never be able to see each other again."
Lucy had tears streaming down her face. "I couldn't stand that..." She sobbed.
"For me, it's more like good riddance. In the first place, I was your mother's Celestial Spirit. Layla. When Layla died, her keys were passed onto you. I was so disappointed. You were a crybaby, a brat, and woefully ignorant. You had none of Layla's grace. But you are her daughter, so I've endured it all this time. All these years... I've hated you." Aquarius claimed as she began to glow.
"You can hate me, I don't care! I love you, Aquarius! You were my first friend... My..." Lucy cried out.
"How long are you going to act like a spoiled child?! Right now, you're the only one who can save your comrades!" Aquarius reminded. "What's important, memories?! The keys?! A feeling of guilt?! No! It's the power to save your friends! The power of a Celestial Spirit wizard! Do it! Destroy my key! You're the only one who can do it!"
"I don't know what you're squabbling about, but you're in range now!" Jackal exclaimed.
"I... love you, Aquarius." Lucy said.
"Do it! Lucy!" Aquarius ordered.
Lucy held out Aquarius's key. "There's a burning in my chest..." Aquarius thought as Lucy let out a scream. "Even though I hate this little girl..."
Lucy raised Aquarius's key in the air. "Open!"
"A mermaid! A mermaid!" A younger Lucy exclaimed.
"Even though I hate her..." Aquarius thinks to herself.
"Gate of the Celestial Spirit King!"
"...I can't..." Aquarius's thoughts trailed off as she recalled her memories with Lucy.
"It's no sin to have feelings for your friends!"
"We are!"
"Scorpio!"
"You'll never in a million years be able to attract a man by wearing a swimsuit!"
"Make me laugh!"
"I can't stop the feelings..." Aquarius thought, clenching her chest.
A younger Lucy splashed bath water at Aquarius. "Come on! Splash me, Aquarius!" She said.
"Don't summon me every time you take a bath, little girl!" Aquarius shouted in irritation.
"I'm sorry!"
"How many times do I have to tell you?! Don't summon me from the goldfish bowl! That's for the goldfish! It's got a tail!" Aquarius scolded.
"You've got a tail too, Aquarius!" Lucy pointed out.
Aquarius leaned closer. "You summoned me from a goldfish bowl, and then quibble on top of it?! Nitwit!"
"What's 'quibble'?" Lucy questioned.
"Jeez. Play with human kids once in a while!" Aquarius replied.
"There aren't any here. That's why I'm lonely." Lucy said as Aquarius looked at her. "I'm happy when you come here, even when you're angry at me. I'm sorry."
"Tch!" Aquarius looks away.
"You're not lonely anymore, right?" Aquarius asked.
"Right. I really do appreciate it." Lucy opened her eyes. "Being able to meet all of you..."
"We won't be able to see each other anymore. I'll miss you... Lucy." Aquarius thinks to herself.
"Gate of the Celestial Spirit King!" Lucy shouted.
"You've done more for me than you know." Aquarius said as tears ran down her face. "Thank you."
Aquarius disappeared. "The water disappeared!" Jackal exclaimed.
The end of Aquarius's key shattered.
A bright light appeared from the sky as the Celestial Spirit King arrived, cutting down Plutogrim.
"What is it?!" Silver questioned.
"Something's cut through Plutogrim?!" Kyoka exclaimed.
"Woman, what did you do?!" Jackal asked.
Lucy cried out in agony as Hana gave her a sympathetic look.
The cube crashed to the ground.
Mard Geer looked up to see the Celestial Spirit King above him.
A/N: Aquarius's sacrifice always makes me want to cry everytime I rewatch it.
Thanks for reading!
~ Kaleb.