Hey everyone, I'm finally back with a new chapter for this fic! I sincerely apologize for the extremely long wait for this chapter, but I've been completely swamped with school the past few months. I started college again and I'm now living on campus. Before I went to a local community college and commuted to school from home, but now I'm living over two and half hours from home in a dorm with three roommates. Luckily I have my own room and my roommates are pretty cool, so that hasn't really been an issue. However, my workload this semester has been pretty hard, so I don't know how often I'll be able to write. I try to write whenever possible, but please don't expect really fast uploads any time soon. Well that's enough about me, I know you're all more excited for this chapter. In this chapter we'll have the Mirajane vs. Freed fight, and advance the Battle for Fairy Tail arc even further, bringing us a little closer to the Natsu vs. Laxus battle, which I know you're all looking forward too. I will also be skipping over the flashback between Laxus and Makarov when he was younger. I see no use repeating something we've all seen before when I don't plan on changing it very much.
P.S. I know this might disappoint some of you, but will excite others, I've decided that if I do start another fic that it will be a My Hero Academia fic. I have the the start all planned out, and not to toot my own horn, but I think it's pretty damn good, and it will have Izuku meeting All Might and receiving his powers under totally different circumstances. After that I plan to do my normal writing format, and do the main story with my own spin on canon events. Izuku will also have a harem in the fic, because I feel there's a severe lack of Izuku x harem fics on this site. Also Izuku won't be receiving any secondary powers, i.e. Spider-man's abilities, like in a lot of fics I've been seeing recently. Another thing I plan on changing won't change the story much per se, but I plan on UA Academy being a college instead of of high school. This way it won't be as weird for Izuku to have a harem, plus I've always felt that it was odd for kids to be doing such dangerous training, I had a similar feeling with Naruto. So to those of you who were looking forward to possibly seeing a High School DxD fic from me, I sincerely apologize. But I've fallen in love with My Hero Academia and would much rather write a fic for that series, plus I would be much more passionate about writing a fic for this series. (If you want the basic premise of how this story would start P.M. me or simply ask in your review)
P.P.S. I watched Sword Art Online Ordinal Scale a few weeks ago, and I have to say that I loved it. If you like Sword Art Online at all, you definitely should try to see this movie, I liked it so much that I plan on buying it on Blu-ray. The film also confirmed that Sword Art Online season 3 will be coming some time soon, which I'm super hyped about (Season 3, along with a Gun Gale Online spinoff anime, have actually just been officially confirmed). Just like with Fairy Tail Dragon Cry, stick through the end credits and you'll get a little scene teasing the next season on the anime. Speaking of third seasons being confirmed, My Hero Academia's third season just got announced! I couldn't be more hype right now! We have the Fairy Tail anime returning next year, which will wrap up the series, and possibly Sword Art Online and My Hero Academia's third seasons as well! 2018 is looking like an amazing year for anime! 2018 can't come soon enough!
P.P.P.S Highschool DxD and Date A Live were both just confirmed to have new anime seasons coming soon! The new season of DxD is called Highschool DxD Hero, and it's set to release in 2018, it also has a new art style which actually looks really good. Nothing has been released about when the new season of Date A Live will be released, or what it will be called, but I'm just hyped that it's coming back. Fairy Tail, Sword Art Online, My Hero Academia, and now Highschool DxD and Date A Live! All of my favorite anime are getting new seasons and I couldn't be more hype right now!
Well that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the fic!
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
Magic
Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail, or any of its characters.
(Two Minutes Later: Rooftops Near the Center of Magnolia)
"Son of a bitch..." Natsu growled in a low tone, punching his fist into the stone statue next to him, causing it to crumble to pieces. The dual dragon slayer was crouching on the edge of a roof in the the center of Magnolia. Once again Natsu raised his head into the air and too several long sniffs, but once again he couldn't pick up Laxus' scent. "There's too many people around here! I can't distinguish Laxus' scent from everything else, everything is too muddled!" Releasing a heavy sigh, Natsu stood back up onto his feet and looked towards the large tree where Gajeel was. "Hurry the hell up Gajeel...we don't have a lot of time right now!"
(Same Time: With Gajeel)
"I can face off against Salamander again one of these days...but right now my main priority is beating the shit out of that thunder-asshole...he's seriously pissed me off." Gajeel grunted out, before he grit his teeth in irritation. "I need to pay him back for almost hurting Levy."
"Right now it's important that you gain their trust as a nakama." A deep voice echoed out from a small paper figure that floated next to Gajeel. "You must not draw attention to yourself, for now you must play the part of a loyal member of Fairy Tail. Delivering Fairy Tail's punishment will come in due time."
"Roger that, master Ivan." Gajeel said, with a wicked grin on his face. Once the paper figure had left, the evil look left Gajeel's face, and he began to make his way down the tree had been perched in. "Dumb bastard...Fairy Tail gave me a second chance and an opportunity to make up for all the mistakes I've made in my life...I've also met some great people there...people I want to protect." With a soft grunt, Gajeel landed back onto the ground. "Now where the hell is Salamander, we need to track down that bastard Laxus!"
(Same Time on the Other Side of Magnolia: With Mirajane and Elfman)
"Nee-chan...please, that's enough..." Elfman said in a weak tone, as his older sister continued to support him. "I can walk on my own now..."
"Hush Elfman, you can still barely stand up." Mirajane lightly scolded, adjusting her grip on Elfman's arm. "Besides...there's nothing else I can really do to help...so at least let me do this."
"*Sigh* Alright-" Elfman was cut off the bridge they were about to walk under suddenly collapsed, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris. "What the hell!?" When the dust began to settle, Mirajane and Elfman were both shocked to see Cana on the ground, her body littered with injuries.
"Cana!" Mirajane exclaimed, leaning Elfman up against a nearby wall, before rushing over to the brunette mage's side. When Mirajane knelt down next to Cana, she was horrified by the extensive injuries she had. "Are you okay?!"
"You really are quite tough." A calm and collected voice said from the bridge above. Looking up, Mirajane's eyes widened when she saw Freed looming over them, his sword drawn. "Well I guess that's to be expected from a build veteran like you."
"Freed!" Elfman exclaimed, as he tightly balled his fists. "Shit! Why at a time like this?!"
"Take...it back..." Cana struggled to say, slowly getting back onto her knees. The brunette card mage tried to stand back up, but she began to cough violently, dropping back down onto one knee.
"Cana you need to..." Mirajane stopped mid-sentence when she saw that tears were streaming down Cana's cheeks. "Cana...what happened?"
"Take back what you said about Juvia being a "Phantom Girl" this instant!" Cana yelled, her eyes full of fury. However, before Cana could say anymore, her eyes suddenly widened in pain. Mirajane could only watch in shock as Cana gripped her throat, apparently struggling to breath. Then without warning Cana coughed up a mouth full of blood, before collapsing to the ground unconscious.
"CANA?!" Mirajane screamed, as she began to shake the brunette card mage in an attempt to rouse her. "What happened!? Are you okay!? CANA!? Please say something!"
"Damn it! Why can't we catch a break!?" Elfman growled, running up to where Freed was standing without a moment's hesitation.
"Oh, are you going to be my next opponent, Elfman?" Freed asked, as he quirked an eyebrow. "...Well I say that, but you already lost to Ever, so you have no right to return to this game."
"Shut the hell up!" Elfman shot back, continuing to advance towards Freed.
"Stop this nonsense already Freed!" Mirajane exclaimed, as tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "Aren't we supposed to be nakama?!"
"We once were..." Freed replied, releasing a light sigh, before pointing his sword at Elfman. "However, in this game, which was designed to bring back order, such notions crumble to nothing. Laxus' enemies are now my enemies." In the blink of the eye Freed dashed forward, writing a set of runes on Elfman's chest.
"What the hell..." Elfman muttered, as he watched the runes on his chest begin to glow brightly.
"A pawn that has been defeated is forbidden from returning to the game, I already told you this. Those who break this rule will experience a fate worse than death." Freed said in a menacing tone, his right eye turning completely black with a purple glowing iris. "Dark Écriture: Pain."
"Guh!" Elfman grunted, as he felt an intense pain shot through his body. "W-What...the hell...is this?! My whole body...f-feels like i-it's on fire!" Gasping in pain, Elfman wrapped his arms around his stomach. "UGH! What...the...fuck!?"
"Those characters on your chest have become your senses and reality." Freed explained, snapping his fingers. Moments later Elfman out, as pain racked every inch of his body.
"Elfman!" Mirajane cried out, as she covered her mouth with her hands.
"Dark Écriture: Fear!" Advancing towards Elfman, Freed wrote another series of runes across his chest. This time Elfman cried out in horror, as he thrashed around, clutching his head with tears in his eyes.
"PLEASE! Stop this Freed! Elfman can't take his anymore!" Mirajane screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Stop hurting him!"
"Dark Écriture: Suffering!" When Freed wrote a new set of runes onto Elfman's chest, the large Take-over mage let out a bloodcurdling scream, falling down onto his knees.
"FREED! I'm begging you! I'll do whatever you want, just stop hurting Elfman!" Mirajane exclaimed, feeling a familiar, and long forgotten, sense of helplessness building up inside her. "No! No! No! No! No! No! NOT AGAIN!" Mirajane couldn't control her sobs, as she violently shook her head. "Please make it stop! Please! I can't have this happen to me again! Natsu...please help me!"
"Dark Écriture: Pain!" Freed slashed his sword across Elfman's chest rewriting the rune. "Pain!" Again, Freed slashed Elfman across the chest, a fresh wave of pain arching through the large man's body. "Pain! Pain! Pain! Pain!" Freed chanted, as he unleashed a flurry of runes onto Elfman. Howling out in pain, Elfman felt his entire body starting to go numb, his consciousness slowly slipping away.'
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Mirajane cried at the top of her lungs, her heart thundering in her chest, as the fear of losing another sibling caused her blood to chill. "STOOOOOOP!"
"Dark Écriture..." Freed announced ominously, as he drew his sword back, seemingly for the final blow. "Annihilation."
"D-Death!?" Mirajane thought, her heart stopping completely for a few moments. Time seemed to stop around Mirajane, as she flashed back to night Lisanna had died. All the fear, sadness, and powerlessness she felt back then suddenly came rushing back to her. It was these dark feelings that caused her to give up being a mage, and not use her magic anymore. However, before darkness could fully envelope Mirajane's heart, she suddenly remembered something. She remembered what had saved her from those terrible feelings, saved her from suffering alone. Even to this day she could remember his soft touch, as they held each other for comfort. His voice, which was usually loud and brazen, had been so soft and caring, and helped ease her aching heart. She remembered how they sat together for hours and simply talked, doing anything to take their minds off the tragedy that had befallen both of them. As Mirajane remembered what had made her fall in love with that man, who she used to think was obnoxious and irritating, a familiar warmth began to spread through her heart, driving away the creeping darkness. "That's right! I don't have to be afraid anymore! I have people that I love by my side who will support me!" Tightly balling her fists, Mirajane raised her head to look at Freed. Her normally soft a cheerful blue eyes, were now narrowed and fierce. "Natsu, please give me the strength I need! Give me the strength to save my brother and win this fight!"
"What is she up-" Freed's thoughts were cut short when he felt a sudden massive burst of magical energy, so strong that his knees started to shake. "W-What the hell was that magical power?!" Looking down at his hands, Freed was shocked to see that they were trembling. "I've only felt power like this from S-class mages..." Freed glanced down at Mirajane, his eyes widening in fear when he saw the white-haired barmaid glaring back at him. The ground underneath Mirajane appeared to be quaking, causing Freed to take a steep back.
"RAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHH!" Mirajane suddenly screamed, unleashing an incredible amount of magical power, which caused the ground around her to explode. "Reel in that power!" After not using magic for several years, Mirajane had to use all of her concentration to focus her magical power. Soon enough, Mirajane could feel her magic getting back under her control, and familiar sense of strength flowed through her body.
"W-What the hell is going on?" Freed thought, as he watched Mirajane's body become covered in what seemed to be scales. The green-haired mage's eyes widened in shock, as he began to recognize that familiar transformation, one which he hadn't seen in years. "No...it can't be!"
When the scales encasing Mirajane's body fell away, she was in a completely different for. Mirajane's eyes had become darker and her eyelashes had grown larger, with a dark, thin marking in a light zigzag crossing her right eye vertically; similar markings were present above her right breast and on both of her bare thighs. Her white hair had become wilder, jutting upwards and getting curlier, with the front ponytail growing longer, and her ears enlarging, extending backwards, and gaining pointed edges. She also gained sharp canine-like teeth, and her lips were covered in dark lipstick. Her forearms and hands were noticeably different, becoming covered in scales and each sprouting a fin-like protrusion on their outer side. She also grew a large, stocky tail seemingly made of metal plates or scales, getting smaller near its end. Her clothing had also radically changed, her pink dress being replaced by a dark, skimpy one-piece suit, which revealed her arms and legs and is open on the front and the back, exposing most of her stomach and wide cleavage. This clothing had golden-colored edges resembling spiky shapes, and her similarly spiked collar was tied around the neck by a cravat tie. Her shoulders were tied in thin belts protruding from her one-piece suit, and her feet were covered by matching, high-heeled thigh-high boots, which were decorated by lighter motifs on their upper parts, taking on the shapes of jagged blades pointing downwards on the front of her legs, and on the lower parts, in correspondence to her ankles and feet. She also donned a pair of gauntlets covering the back parts of her transformed arms. When the transformation was complete Mirajane let out a shaky breath.
"Thank you Natsu...because of the warmth you showed me, I was able to dig out this power I had buried away." Mirajane thought, rolling her neck and shoulders, as she tried to get used to her new form and the power that came with it. When Mirajane next spoke, her voice was low and menacing. "I told you stop Freed...I told you not to hurt my brother anymore...but you wouldn't listen...so now...you'll have to pay."
(One Minute Earlier: With Natsu)
"Damn it, where the hell is Gajeel?" Natsu muttered impatiently, as he rapidly tapped his foot. "We don't have time to be dicking around."
"Calm the hell down Salamander." Gajeel said, suddenly landing on the rooftop next to Natsu. "Sorry, but my report to Ivan to took a little longer than expected."
"Well whatever, let's just start searching. We need to find Laxus fast." Natsu said, as he prepared to hop off the roof. However, before either dragon slayer could move, they were stopped in their tracks when they felt a massive amount of magical power.
"O-Oi Salamander, did you feel that?" Gajeel asked, his voice shaking slightly. "That was a crazy of burst of magical power just now."
"Yeah, and I know who did it." Natsu said, as he remembered the familiar amount of magical energy.
"No shit, who is it? Do we have to worry, or anything?" Gajeel asked, causing Natsu to start laughing. "Oi! What the fuck is so funny!?"
"We're fine Gajeel, that's not an enemy." Natsu said, as a smile spread across his face. "That's Mirajane."
"You're fucking with me." Gajeel said in a skeptical tone, quirking an eyebrow. "That white-haired chick that serves drinks, and looks like she couldn't hurt a damn fly...you're telling me that shit was her!"
"She's more of demon than you think." Natsu said with a knowing smirk, as he hopped off the rooftop and landed on the street below. "I just feel bad for the poor bastard that pissed her off."
(Back With Mirajane)
"I'll make you pay for hurting Elfman and Cana!" Mirajane exclaimed, launching towards Freed at an incredible speed.
"Shit!" Freed thought in a panic, as he watched Mirajane fly towards him. Leaping backwards into the air, Freed quickly inscribed a set of runes onto his arm. "Dark Écriture: Wings!" Instantly, a pair of dark purple wings sprouted behind Freed, propelling him into the air. Freed had cast his spell just in the knick of time, as he barely managed to dodge Mirajane's strike, which completely destroyed the bridge he had been standing on. "I need to put some serious distance between us!"
"You're not getting away!" Mirajane growled, bending her knees to get lower to the ground, before she propelled herself towards Freed; the ground beneath her crumbing. In the blink of an eye Mirajane closed the distance, and was directly in front of Freed. Before the green-haired mage even had a chance to react, Mirajane had cocked her fist back. Mirajane landed a devastating punch, sending Freed tumbling through the air. When Mirajane next spoke, her voice was deadly serious. "I will destroy you Freed."
"This is the Demon Mirajane's Take-over..." Freed thought, as he panted slightly, wiping some blood from his nose. "Satan Soul!"
"I'm not through with you yet Freed!" Mirajane exclaimed, demonic bat-like wings sprouting from her back. With her new aerial mobility, Mirajane soared towards Freed, hitting him with a powerful kick to the stomach. All the air instantly left Freed's lungs, as he was sent hurling towards the ground. Violently shaking his head, Freed managed to dispel his disorientation. Twisting his body around, Freed managed to pull out of his freefall just before hitting the ground. Growling in irritation, Mirajane was immediately on Freed's tail. "Where do you think you're going!?"
"It may be a forbidden move, but at this point I have no other choice..." Freed muttered to himself, as he turned onto his back, continuing to fly through the air. "Only a demon can best a demon!" Staring down at his chest, Freed began to write a new set of runes. "Dark Écriture: Darkness!" The runes transformed Freed into a dark-colored, demonic creature, with horns coming out of his head and his right eye covered with scales.
"You think that pathetic excuse for a demon scares me?!" Mirajane yelled, flying towards Freed head-on, without a moment's hesitation. Cocking her fist back, Mirajane prepared to strike Freed again. However, she was stopped when both her and Freed's fists collided, sending out a small shockwave. Freed thought that he might have an upper hand in this fight now, but he was shocked when a devious smirk spread across Mirajane's face. Showcasing incredible flexibility, Mirajane's leg shot upwards, hitting Freed in the chin with a powerful kick. Mirajane didn't give Freed a moment to breath, as she shot forward and grabbed ahold of his face. Then Mirajane nosedived straight down at a blistering speed, towards a stream below them. Mirajane slammed Freed into the bottom of the stream, sending up a torrent of water. Freed gasped for air, as excruciating pain coursed through his body. With a fierce growl, Mirajane hopped off Freed and into the water. "This ends here, Freed!"
"What is this power?! I had heard tales, but I didn't know Mirajane was this strong!" Freed thought, as he coughed and sputtered, doing his best to get back onto his feet. However, Freed's eyes widened in fear as he watched the water from the stream swirl around Mirajane. "She's drawing water from the stream herself?! Just how much magical power does she have!?" Then with a simple flick of her wrist, Mirajane created a massive vortex of water, which sent Freed flying high into the air. All Freed could do was try to stay conscious, as the tornado of water spun him higher and higher into the sky. Finally after several unbearable moments, the vortex of water spit Freed out into the open air, leaving him to freefall back towards the ground. But Freed would not be give this luxury, as he saw Mirajane's fierce gaze looking back at him.
"This is for hurting my brother..." Mirajane said in a menacing tone, gathering a large amount of black and dark, purple magical energy between her hands, forming a ball with it. "Soul Extinctor!" Mirajane unleashed the gathering magical energy, transforming it into a massive beam. The devastating beam of magical energy hit Freed dead on, sending him smashing into the street below. The power behind Mirajane's attack was even strong enough to knock Freed out of his Darkness mode.
"M-My whole body..." Freed thought, as he struggled to at least lean on his elbows. "My entire body aches...every muscle feels like it's...about to explode..." Despite being utterly exhausted, new life seeped into Freed when he saw Mirajane stalking towards him. "SHIT!" With one final burst of energy, Freed frantically attempted to back away from the advancing demon, but his effort was in vain.
"RAGH!" Mirajane roared, pouncing on top of Freed.
"T-There's n-no way I can defeat this!" Freed thought, his eyes wide in terror. "This is the true power of a demon!" Freed's entire body was shaking in fear, as he watched Mirajane cock her fist back. "She's going to kill me!" When Freed saw Mirajane's fist launch forward, he closed his eyes and waited for her blow to finish him. Freed's heart nearly leaped out his chest when he heard a loud crunching noise right next to his head. Hesitantly cracking an eye open, Freed was surprised to see Mirajane's fist buried into the road next to his head, the surrounding stone crumbling into a small crater. "W-What...why didn't she kill me?"
"There's no way I can kill him..." Mirajane thought, her breathing heavy as sweat dripped off her brow. "Natsu and the others would never look at me the same again...I could never live with myself." Mirajane bit her bottom lip as an image of Lisanna dying flashed through her mind. "And I could never put someone through the same pain I experienced...I wouldn't wish that on anyone."
"H-Huh..." Freed breathed in shock, as he watched Mirajane transform out of her Satan Soul form. "What are you doing?"
"This fighting is utterly pointless, don't you think?" Mirajane asked, releasing a heavy sigh.
"Mercy for the defeat, eh Mirajane?" Freed questioned, as he tightly balled his fists. "Just finish me already..."
"We're nakama you know...fellow members of the same guild..." Mirajane said, a sad smile spreading across her face. "Smiling together...laughing together...living together..."
"S-Shut up!" Freed exclaimed, as he glared at Mirajane. "I only have one nakama; Laxus!"
"That's not really true, is it?" Mirajane asked, getting off Freed and kneeling down beside him. "I'm sure some as smart as you must have realized..."
"C'mon Freed! Help us with preparations for Fantasia! You'd be a huge help!"
"Hey Freed...could you possibly model for a picture I'm painting...you have some pretty good looks after all!"
"Hey Freed, you should come have drink with me sometime!"
"Come and fight me Freed! Just you and me! I've always wanted to fight someone as strong as you!"
"You're quite skilled, Freed. I'd say you're ready to take on S-class missions, you should consider talking to master about it."
"Make sure Laxus doesn't do anything stupid for me, would you? You're one of the few people I trust to keep him in line."
Freed's eyes widened in realization, as he remembered all the interactions he had with his fellow guild members over the past week.
"T-They're all so kind to me..." Freed thought, as he felt tears string his eyes. "Even though I was so cold to them...they never once turned their backs on me...they always faced me with such bright smiles."
"I don't think it's such a bad thing to cling to one person..." Mirajane said with a small smile, before chuckling softly. "God knows I've been clinging onto someone for support the past few years, and I don't know what I'd do without him...but you see Freed, you have so many amazing people around you. People in a guild are all connected to one another." Reaching down, Mirajane gently grabbed ahold of Freed's hand. "You see? Just reach out your hand, and there's someone ready to grab onto it." Mirajane stopped for a moment to choke back a sob, as she felt a few tears roll down her cheek. "It's when people realize how lonely it is being on their own...that they start to become kind. You under stand that, don't you?"
"Damn it..." Freed choked out, as tears began to stream down his face. "Damn it..." Stifling a sob, Freed raised one of his hands to cover his face. "I never really wanted to do this...I never wanted to hurt anyone."
"I know...I know." Mirajane said in a sweet, comforting voice, softly patting Freed's hand. "When this is all over, why don't we enjoy the Fantasia festival next year."
"Jeez, you just can't win against that girl." A familiar voice said from behind Mirajane and Freed. Turning around, Mirajane was surprised to see that Cana and Elfman were both back on their feet; with Elfman carrying a still unconscious Juvia in his arms. "You made my fight look like a joke."
"Cana! Elfman! You're both okay!" Mirajane exclaimed, rushing forward and hugging both of them. "I was so worried!"
"Sorry nee-chan." Elfman said in a slightly embarrassed tone, as his faced tinted red.
"Thanks for jumping in back there, Mira." Cana said with a hint of guilt in her voice, rubbing the back of her head. "I'm sorry you had to...you know...use your powers. I know that must have been hard for you."
"It's fine Cana." Mirajane said with a smile, as she waved dismissively. "It's about time I stopped running away from the past...I need to face these feelings head on and stop being afraid of my power. Someone special tried to tell me that a long time ago, but it took seeing my family being hurt again for me to realize how foolish I'd been."
"I think I can guess who that 'special' person is." Cana said with a teasing smirk, gently nudging Mirajane with her elbow. "Our little hell raising, pink-haired dragon slayer, right?"
"A lady can't go around spilling all her secrets, especially about the person she loves." Mirajane said with a smile, as she pressed her index fingers to her lips, before she winked at Cana. "But I'm sure you'll get your answer soon enough."
"Mirajane..." Hearing Freed's weak voice, the white-haired mage turned around to see that he had propped himself up against a nearby wall. "Can you spare me a moment?"
"Sure thing Freed." Mirajane said with a small smile, walking over to where Freed was and kneeling down next to him. "What is it?"
"That person you cling to..." Freed said, as he stared up at the sky overhead. "Do you truly care about him?"
"Of course." Mirajane replied, clasping a hand over her heart, as her pale cheeks flushed red. "I care about him with all my heart...and aside from my brother...he's the most important person in my life right now."
"Then you need to always stay by his side..." Freed said, as he released a light sigh. "Make sure he stays out of trouble...or doesn't do anything really stupid...just...always be there for him."
"I will." Mirajane said with a bright smile, clenching the hand over her heart. "That's a promise."
(Same Time: Back With Natsu and Gajeel)
"For fuck's sake man! We've searched this town high and low and we still can't find this prick!" Gajeel growled, as he angrily crossed his arms over his chest. "If I don't punch something soon I'm seriously going to get pissed off."
"I'm gonna punch you, if you don't calm down." Natsu said with a huff, turning to face Gajeel. "Like you said, we've already searched most of the town, so there's not a lot of places left for us to search. We'll find him soon, and when we do we'll kick the shit out of him."
"I like the sound of-" Gajeel stopped mid-sentence when he spotted something appear out of the corner of his eye. "Oi Salamander, check this out."
"What is it?" Natsu asked, following Gajeel over towards a nearby wall, where one of Freed's projections was displayed. "Huh, it looks like there's another update..." Leaning closer, Natsu read what the update said. As Natsu's scanned over the projection a smile slowly began to spread across his face.
"What the hell are you smiling about?" Gajeel asked, as he quirked and eyebrow.
"See for yourself..." Natsu said with a smirk, stepping aside to allow Gajeel to read the projection.
"Huh, let's see here..." Gajeel muttered, as gazed at the projection. As Gajeel read the update, his eyes slowly began to widen. "You gotta be shitting me...Mirajane...beat Freed? Shit, you weren't kidding Salamander, I guess that chick really is strong."
"Heh, I told you." Natsu said with a grin, crossing his arms underneath his chest. "There's a whole side to Mirajane you've never seen before."
"Well with Freed gone...you know what that means...right Salamander?" Gajeel asked, as he turned to lock eyes with Natsu.
"Yeah..." Natsu said, tightly balling his fists. "The only one left to take down is Laxus." Natsu cracked his knuckles, causing sparks to shoot out of his hands. "Now let's take this bastard down."
(Back At Fairy Tail's Guild Hall)
"The Thunder Palace...lightning filled lacrima attacking the entire city...judgement from lightning...and time is running out..." Levy muttered, as she stared intently at a nearby clock. "Only ten minutes left now...is Laxus serious about this?" Suddenly Levy's spirit lifted and smile spread across her face. "This isn't the time to be mopping...we'll work things out somehow. We still have Natsu and Erza...and Gajeel too...OH! And I almost forgot about Mystogan! But...I haven't seen him at all yet..." Releasing a light sigh, Levy stared down at her feet. "I wish Gildarts was here...he would have ended this whole situation a long time ago..." As Levy continued to contemplate what was happening, she heard the doors to the guild hall slowly creak open. "Huh? Who could be here at a time like this?" Turning around, Levy was surprised to see Porlyusica walking towards her.
"Where is that stupid old man?" Porlyusica asked, scanning around the guild hall for signs of Makarov. "Hurry up child...where is he?"
"H-He's in the medical office!" Levy exclaimed, surprised by Porlyusica's stern tone. "I-I'll show you where it is!" Spinning around, Levy quickly showed Porlyusica where Makarov was resting. "Sorry...but t-there's a bit of a situation-"
"I am well aware of that! I could feel the explosions from my home!" Porlyusica exclaimed in an irritated tone, throwing open the door to the medical office. "That is precisely why I came here."
"So...does that mean you'll heal master?" Levy asked in a hopeful, as she stood beside Porlyusica, who was busy examining Makarov. However, Levy's hope was dashed when she saw a sullen look spread across Porlyusica's face. "Porlyusica-san...what's wrong?"
"Find that problem child Laxus and bring him here." Porlyusica replied, releasing a shaky breath.
"Huh...why do I-"
"Damn that idiot child, pretending to be ignorant of his grandfather's critical condition." Porlyusica hissed in a mixture of anger and sadness, balling her fists. "Bring him here at once."
"C-Critical...condition?" Levy parroted, as she began to shake slightly in worry. "What are you..." Levy stopped mid-sentence when Porlyusica suddenly turned around, tears forming in her eyes. "N-No..."
"Just do it please..." Porlyusica ordered, doing her best to remain calm and composed. "This old fool doesn't have much time left."
(Six Minutes Until the Activation of Thunder Palace: Kardia Cathedral)
"So the old man still doesn't feel like giving up..." Laxus muttered, before chuckling darkly. "Heh, I guess that sounds like the stubborn old man I know." As Laxus stood in the center of Kardia Cathedral, he quirked an eyebrow when he suddenly sensed a powerful magical presence approaching from behind. Turning his head, a grin spread across Laxus' face when he saw Mystogan slowly walking towards him. "So you decided to show up!?" Laxus' grin widened, as he turned to fully face the tall, masked mage. "Mystogan! I never in my wildest dreams thought you would participate in my little game..."
"Deactivate Thunder Palace immidiately..." Mystogan said, as he ignored what Laxus was saying. "If you do then you may be able to still play this off as a mere addition to the festivities."
"This is my lucky day!" Laxus cheered, holding his arms out as he approached Mystogan. "I'm sure you've heard the rumors floating around, right? People wondering who's the strongest in Fairy Tail...me...or you."
"I have no interest in such trivial things." Mystogan said, as he slowly shook his head. "Besides, we both know that Gildarts is the strongest mage in the guild."
"Bah! You can't count him...he ain't coming back." Laxus said, waving one of his hands dismissively. "Erza's showing some promise, but she's still a weakling."
"Erza? Weak? That isn't a word I'd use to describe her." Mystogan said, as he lowered his head and released a light sigh. "You must be as good as blind to think that." Raising his head, Mystogan locked eyes with Laxus. "It seems that you have left someone else out in the bid for strongest mage in Fairy Tail."
"Oh?" Laxus asked in an amused tone, quirking an eyebrow. "And who might that be?"
"Natsu Dragneel." Mystogan replied without hesitation, as he continued to lock eyes with Laxus.
"HAHAHAHA! You're joking right!?" Laxus exclaimed, bellowing laughter that echoed throughout the cathedral. "I could crush that little punk with a hand tied behind my back!"
"You're a fool if you can't recognize the power that lies within Natsu." Mystogan said, as he slammed the end of one of his staffs onto the ground. "If you refuse to see the potential Natsu holds then you don't deserve to be called the strongest. That man will do amazing things in the months and years to come, that I firmly believe."
"Oi, oi! I'm just trying to compliment you here, Mystogan!" Laxus said in a slightly irritated tone, his eyes narrowing slightly. "As far as I'm concerned, the strongest member of Fairy Tail is one of us two."
"Is power the only thing your eyes can see..." Mystogan asked, as he rested a hand on his hip. "I pity you."
"Let's settle this once and for all." Laxus said, an evil grin spreading across his face. "With the title of 'strongest' on the line!" Laxus' grin widened, as electricity began to spark off his body. "Mystogan...or should I say another-" Laxus' sentence was cut short when Mystogan suddenly launched forward, lashing out with one of his staffs. Laughing loudly, Laxus met Mystogan's attack with an electrically charged fist, causing a large magical explosion. The force behind the attack shattered windows in the cathedral and sent both mages skidding back.
(Same Time: With Natsu and Gajeel)
"You felt that right, Salamander?" Gajeel asked, as both mages stopped in the middle of street.
"Yeah..." Natsu replied, turning towards where the surge of magical energy had come from. "That has to be Laxus...and it's coming from the church! Let's hurry Gajeel!" Without another word, Natsu took off in the direction of Kardia Cathedral.
"Right behind you!" Gajeel exclaimed, as he chased after Natsu.
(Back with Laxus and Mystogan)
"Where did you move a move like that..." Mystogan asked, the smoke from the explosion partially concealing him.
"Heh...who knows..." Laxus replied with a cocky grin, as he cracked his knuckles. "Maybe if you beat me I'll tell you."
"You shall regret this Laxus." Mystogan said, holding out one of his staffs. "You are about to bear witness to a form of magic you've never seen before."
"We'll see about that." Laxus said, as he fiercely glared at Mystogan, lightning sparking off his body. "I'll put you in your place!"
"I gave you fair warning..." Mystogan said, grabbing the other four staves off his back. One-by-one Mystogan planted the staves in the ground before him. "Skyscraper." Suddenly an incredible amount of magical energy burst from the staves. Laxus gasped in shock as the ground beneath him began to bend and warp wildly, seeming to liquify even. Then the entire cathedral collapsed, and Laxus found himself several hundred feet in the air, staring down at the rubble below.
"W-What the hell!? The church..." Laxus said in shock, before sensing an ominous magical power behind him. Laxus didn't even have a chance to fight back, before several belts wrapped around his body, binding his arms and legs. Then Laxus found himself spun around in the air, facing towards the sky. Laxus' eyes widened when the sky seemed be torn open, as a massive, horrifying demon reached towards him. But as Laxus neared the monster, his grin once again returned. "Nice try Mystogan!" Letting a tremendous roar, Laxus unleashed a large amount of lightning magic, dispelling the illusion Mystogan had out him in. "HAHAHA! What a load of shit! Is that all you got!? Did you seriously think some puny fucking illusion would be enough to break me!?"
"I suppose that's impressive enough." Mystogan said, not being fazed by Laxus' insults. "But you figured it out just a moment too late." Gazing up, Laxus was surprised to see five magic circles stacked above him. "You are already within my technique." Laxus could feel the magical energy being gathered within the magical circles. "Now slumber! Five Layered Magic Circle: Sacred Song!"
"Funny you say that, cause I wonder which one of us really 'hasn't noticed.' Laxus said with a grin, as he didn't attempt to block Mystogan's attack.
"What are you-" Mystogan stopped when something below him caught his eye. Glancing down, Mystogan's eyes widened when he saw a bundle of electricity building below him. Both attacks hit their marks, creating another large explosion, however when the dust settled both Laxus and Mystogan seemed to be hardly fazed. Grunting in irritation, Mystogan leaped into the air away from Laxus, pointing his one his magical staves at the lightning mage. Moments later the ground underneath Laxus began to liquify, attempting to hold him place. However, Mystogan was shocked when Laxus suddenly disappeared in a flash of lightning. "He avoided it!?" Whipping around, Mystogan watched a bolt of lightning travel up the pillar behind him at an insane speed. Mystogan barely had time to react before the stream of lightning hit him.
"Tch...you ain't half bad." Laxus said with a smirk, as he watched Mystogan materialize out of mist in front of him, unharmed by his previous attack. "That's a nice little trick you got there."
"LAXUS!" Both Laxus and Mystogan where surprised when Natsu and Erza suddenly burst through the front doors of the cathedral.
"Erza!" Natsu exclaimed in shook, locking eyes with his mate. "What are you doing here!?"
"I felt that last pulse of magical energy." Erza replied, as she drew her sword. "I knew that it had to Laxus." It was then that Erza noticed that someone appeared to be missing. "Where's Gajeel?"
"Huh?" Natsu replied, spinning around to look for the iron dragon slayer. "Where the hell is he? I could have sworn he was right behind me..." Groaning in annoyance, Natsu rubbed the back of his head. "He must not have been able to keep up, I did get here pretty quickly."
"You're as hot-headed as ever." Erza said with a smile, as she slowly shook her head.
"What can I say, I've been looking forward to kicking Laxus' ass all day!" Natsu exclaimed with a toothy grin, punching his fist into his palm. "But it looks like Mystogan started the party without us!"
"Natsu, you should-" Mystogan was cut off when he was suddenly hit in the face by a blast of lightning from Laxus. The power behind Laxus' attack caused Mystogan's head to whip back.
"HA! You're too wide open man!" Laxus laughed, as he clenched his crackling fist. "You need to pay attention to your opponent!"
"Damn it..." Mystogan growled, his mask and hood falling away and disintegrating from Laxus' attack. When Mystogan lifted his head, his face was revealed to Natsu and Erza. The scarlet-haired knight and dual dragon slayer were both stunned to see Jellal's face staring back at them.
"J-Jellal..." Erza breathed out in shock, as she felt sweat forming on her brow. "You...survived..."
"No Erza..." Natsu breathed out, a familiar scent hitting his nose; a scent he hadn't smelled in almost seven years. "That's not the Jellal you know...that's the Jellal I know."
And boom! Natsu finally reunites with the Jellal that he knows! Again I apologize for the very long wait for this chapter, but school has been occupying most of my free time lately. I'll hopefully have the next chapter out in a reasonable amount of time. Speaking of next chapter, it will pick up where this one left off, and we'll finally be getting to the Natsu vs. Laxus fight I know you've all been waiting for! I'll do my best to spice that fight up in any ways I can think off! Remember to Follow/Favorite if you enjoyed, PLEASE REVIEW(I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK AND INPUT!), Check out my profile and others fics if you haven't already, and PM me any ideas you have for any of my fics. So until next time, I'm outta here!