Im so sorry for the wait everyone! However, I do have some good excuses as to why.

This chapter is just over almost 17,000 words long. If your not in the mood to read all that in one sitting, you may want to take a break once and a while when reading it.

Originally we had this chapter over 27,000 words, but we decided to cut it in half. So if you already read the very long version, chapter 15 contain the latter half that we cut out.

As of now, I am finished with my college winter semester, leaving me free for the summer. However, the last 7 weeks were CRAZY busy for me. Hopefully our chapters will be out at a much faster pace. We're going to try to have our chapters from this moment on be 15,000 words or below unless its a finale or a big moment for the story.

I do hope thought that you all enjoy this chapter, since ALOT of hard work and effort went into it. PLEASE leave us some feedback in the form of a review, the reviews let us know what we are doing right, what we are doing wrong, and help motivate us to continue and to do better. We would really, really appreciate it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach of fairy tail. Those belong respectively to Tite Kubo and Shounen jump and Hiro Mashima and Weekly shounen magizine. This is just for fun!

Kenshinverse Disclaimer: As you can probably imagine I do not own the Fairy Tail or Bleach series or any of the characters that appear either. The honor of being the man behind Fairy Tail belongs to the one, the only Hiro Mashima. Oh, and Bleach's creation rests solely on the shoulders of Tite Kubo. Oh sure, I've purchased plenty of manga, DVDs, video games and maybe a few too many Rukia Kuchiki and Erza Scarlet action figures and statues (though only the Fairy Tail merchandise remains at this point), but the series themselves? Oh no, they're certainly not mine. You'd know if it were me in charge. Though to explain how different Bleach would be, well to detail that would take a higher word count than this story will eventually end with. Though oddly enough, little would actually change about Fairy Tail. Huh. Go figure.


"Where... am I?"

Bambietta Basterbine found herself in nothing but darkness, her senses assaulted by the sheer nothingness around her. There was nothing but an endless void, her voice the only thing she could hear.

It did not last long, but the Quincy began to wish it had.

The darkness around her began to fade, leaving Bambietta to find herself bathed in the light cast off by flame. She looked around then, her eyes soaking in the sight of everything that was around her.

"No."

It was familiar, all too familiar. From the house caught in flames, to the cobblestone road before it that was torn asunder. Bambietta knew exactly what she was seeing, where she was.

"Fioritura?"

Bambietta knew precisely where she was now, a place she had not that had torn at her heart for decade after decade. Slowly but surely she had put it out of her mind for longer stretches of time, but it was never far from her thoughts even then. Always hiding beneath the surface, threatening to devour her in darkness. A darkness that could only be relieved with the blood of another being split.

"This is..." Bambietta began to shift from confusion and sorrow to pure rage. Her face began to contort, her eyes blazing with fury. "This... is... "

Bambietta paused. She had known precisely what she was going to say but only a part of it came out.

"What the ... is this?"

Bambietta clenched her hands then, wondering what was wrong with her voice. Then she began to notice something else changing. The ground was getting closer. She looked around in a panic then, realizing what was happening. She was getting smaller.

No, that was not it. She was not shrinking. She was losing years of her life, reverting to a time long since passed. A body reshaping, clothing morphing and soon Bambietta found herself standing in her past, trapped in a body she had long since outgrew.

She was six years old, a time of her life she had spent the better part of her overly long existence trying to forget. That, however, was never possible.

"Stop it," Bambietta whimpered to no one in particular but herself. "Just... please..."

The Quincy dropped to her knees, her hands covering her face, tears beginning to pool in their palms. Bambietta knew precisely what was happening and it was something she could not withstand.

"Please... Don't do this to me..."

"Everything will be all right, my darling daughter. I promise you that much."

Bambietta turned her head up then, wavering eyes peeking out from between her fingers. It was just as she remembered, her mother's back facing her, the woman looking down at her with a comforting expression. It was a smile that was something only Libe Basterbine could create as far as Bambietta was concerned.

She also knew it was nothing more than a lie.

"No, it's not going to be all right!" Bambietta cried out to her mother, crawling towards her. She could see it clearly, a monster slowly approaching, the ground shaking with each and every footstep.

"Hush," Libe said gently. "I will protect you, Bambietta. No matter what."

"But you can't beat that monster!"

Libe was calm despite her daughter's outburst. "It doesn't matter if I can't win; I'm going to see this task through to completion. So wait for me, my beloved daughter."

"But father..." Bambietta began to stammer, completely losing herself in the memory. "He's says the whole point of fighting is that you don't want to die... That you'll be killed if you lose... If you throw your life away in battle, where's the point in winning?"

"Your father is such a..." Libe stopped herself then, moving to a different subject. "You'll live to see another morning, my daughter. That's enough for me regardless of whatever else happens."

Bambietta watched on as her mother slowly began to pull up the sleeve of her white robe, a gloved hand coming into view. It was white as snow, the same as the robe, yet a blue cross adorned it from wrist to elbow.

Bambietta had not known what it was back then, but now she knew so much better. It was the Sanrei Glove, the instrument of empowerment for Quincy who were lacked the strength for more advanced training regiments. It was to take them there.

Bambietta knew it better now, that her father had forced her mother to wear that glove each and every day since long before Bambietta had been born into the word. She was strong for a Quincy but it had never been good enough for him. He had always pushed both Libe and Bambietta to the break and beyond, wanting the most of his family whether they were able bodied or not.

It was that parenting, that upbringing that had brought Bambietta to this moment from so long ago. She had sought to please her unforgiving father, to earn his favor and prove her worth all at the same time. It was why she had stolen from his sacred vault the tools of the Quincy, why she had used the Hollow Bait to bring to her home something worthy of slaying.

Yet what had arrived was no simple Hollow, not even a mere Menos. No, what had been drawn by both the bait and the concentrated spiritual pressure of the Quincy was an Adjuchas.

It was simply beyond Bambietta's ability to destroy, the same applying to her mother. "Momma, don't!"

There was no response, Libe looking directly ahead at the approaching Adjuchas. She reached towards her gloved hand with her left. A spark of power burst forth then, the glove dissipating.

Bambietta watched in abject horror as a pale blue wing burst forth from her mother's back and everything faded to white. Time seemed to alter, the woman trapped in her younger self knowing that her perception was completely undone. When the light faded she found herself alone in the grassy knoll, the Adjuchas nowhere to be found. All that was left was an unmoving corpse, Libe Basterbine no more.

Bambietta looked down at her mother, reliving this moment once more. It never changed, never improved, and the Quincy began to shed tears.

However, that was when a change from the reality of the past began to assert itself upon the moment. Bambietta saw her younger self come into view, as if the younger girl was walking away.

Bambietta stood behind her child-like memory, once more aged to her proper moment in life. She looked down at herself, hearing the familiar crying that she had succumbed to that day.

"Momma, please don't go! Momma!"

The present Bambietta grit her teeth, very nearly drawing blood from her mouth as she caught the side of it with the sudden act. "Shut up."

The younger Bambietta either did not react or listen, continuing to sob uncontrollably as she approached her dead mother.

"I said shut up!" The older Bambietta reached out the figment of her past, roughly turning herself around so that their eyes could meet. "Shut the hell up!"

The younger girl began to shake uncontrollably, tears dropping from her face to the ground. Bambietta could not stand it and she reached out and grabbed her younger self by the throat.

"Stop your crying! This is your fucking fault! Do you hear me? Your fucking fault and no one else's!"

The younger Bambietta did as she was told, almost too quickly, her face shifting in a blurred image until there were only dry eyes and an impassive face staring at her true, older self.

"Yes," the figment said with no hint of emotion, "this is our fault. We killed our... you killed your mother."

Bambietta's fingers tightened around her younger self's throat, forcing the girl to gasp in surprise. Bambietta could feel the pain around her own neck as well, breathing becoming far too difficult.

She should have stopped, but she could not. Despite her own outer pain, Bambietta's inner agony forced her to continue. She kept applying pressure, watching as the light began to fade from her younger self's eyes, all the while feeling as if fingers were crushing her own windpipe.

"Will this..." the younger Bambietta barely managed to gasp out. "Will this bring momma back?"

"No," Bambietta whispered in response, her tone of voice wavering. "Nothing can wash away the greatest sin of all."

The sound of bone cracking reverberating throughout the space around both Bambietta's. The smallest of the two slumped away from the hands of the other, collapsing to the ground.

The older one, the truer one, simply began to cry. Slowly at first, her mouth beginning to open as if she needed to scream.


Bambietta awoke with a start then, the Quincy realizing where she truly was. Alone on a makeshift bed, one that had been provided by the grateful authority figures of the town of Clover. Yet Bambietta paid it no real mind, her thoughts still lost in the nightmare she had just escaped.

Her hands pulled up to her chest, one hand clutching the other and Bambietta spoke not as the older woman she was now but the lost little child who's innocence had been stolen away by the results of her own foolish actions.

"Mom..."

There was quiet then, just as there no doubt had been before. Yet Bambietta could feel something, a hand atop the head as she lay on her side. The Quincy forced her eyes open again, allowing them the chance to focus on what was around her.

There she was, Wendy leaning up against the wall, Carla by her side. Both were sleeping, though Bambietta could not understand how they could manage away from their own bedding.

Why was this little Dragon Slayer so inclined to stay by her side? More importantly to Bambietta was the curiosity that Wendy's hand was resting atop the Quincy's long dark hair.

Bambietta was glad then that she had not awoke with a scream, one born from her nightmare, knowing that it would have disturbed Wendy greatly. Wendy and her cat, Bambietta had to remind herself.

Bambietta saw it then, Wendy shivering slightly. The same seemed to apply to Carla as well. Bambietta sighed in response, reaching up with her hand to gently remove Wendy's hand from her head. The Quincy sat up at first, slowly standing next.

"Come on, this won't do." Bambietta slowly lifted Wendy up, slipping the young girl underneath the covers that Bambietta had abandoned. She then made sure to do the same for Carla, careful not to awaken the cat. She did not want to get lectured by Carla's rather prim and proper self after all.

"Awww, that's nice."

Bambietta turned at the sound of a familiar voice, watching as Natsu began to approach.

"It's not even your turn to stand guard, Natsu," Bambietta replied, yawning slightly. "What are you doing up?"

"Same to you," Natsu proclaimed, trying to keep his voice low. "I just don't trust that Phantom Lord guy enough to let him do it alone."

"Jeez," Bambietta said, running her fingers through her hair. "He's a dick, but I don't think you have to worry about him pulling any shit."

"But he's Phantom Lord," Natsu retorted.

"And here I thought you and Grey just didn't along because of the whole fire and ice thing," Bambietta replied with a smirk, "but I guess fire and fire don't make a good mix either."

"Yeah, I- what's that supposed to mean?"

Bambietta said nothing, simply slipping past Natsu, the moonlight peering through the skylight's of Clover Station their only real source of light.

"You're paranoid in all the wrong ways," Bambietta said as she walked by. "It's not the betrayal that you think you see coming that you should worry about. It never fucking is."

Bambietta stopped and looked back at Natsu, taking note of the simple fact that the young man was wearing a confused expression. "Huh?"

"That was... a stupid thing for me to say," Bambietta continued. "Fairy Tail's not like that."

Natsu was still confused. "Bambi, what's-"

There was a yawn then, one that left Bambietta and Natsu both to turn and see Wendy sitting up, the young girl smacking her lips as she rubbed her eyes. She looked around then, realizing that she was no longer sitting up against the wall. "Huh, how did I get here?"

Bambietta laughed slightly, the Quincy moving towards Wendy and kneeling in front of her. She reached out and placed a hand atop the Dragon Slayer's head. "It's too cold for you to be sleeping without some blankets, you goof. I mean, really, you have your own bed."

"I know," Wendy said, glancing away. "It's just... I feel safer around you."

Bambietta's expression soured for a moment. She knew what her inner self wanted to say, to let Wendy know that she should not feel anything of the sort, but she could not follow through with it.

"First time for everything I guess," Bambietta said instead. "You keep doing that to me."

"Huh?" Wendy looked at Bambietta with some confusion.

"This whole thing now and before you said my name was pretty," Bambietta explained. "Nobody's ever said that... before..."

Bambietta tried to keep a smiling face despite herself, the Quincy recalling one who had spoken highly of her name upon their first meeting. It did not matter, however. Anything that person had to say, be it positive or negative, meant absolutely nothing to Bambietta. Not now or ever again.

Bambietta shook her head. "Never mind, I-"

"I'm sorry!" Wendy suddenly shouted. "I didn't mean to make you cry!"

The Dragon Slayer had been louder than she had intended to be, her sudden outburst leaving the likes of Levy, Lucy and Liltotto to stir. The group began to awaken slowly but surely, the lot of them stirring at their own paces.

Bambietta, meanwhile, was simply confused. "Hey, hey. People are trying to sleep," she whispered. "And what are you talking about? I don't cry."

"But-"

"Let me repeat that again," Bambietta interrupted. "I. Don't. Cry."

A small hand reached out, Wendy gently touching Bambietta's face. "But you did."

Bambietta reached up with one hand, the Quincy taking hold of Wendy's own to move it away from her face. As she did so, Bambietta's fingertips brushed against her own skin, feeling the dried remains of a tear upon her cheek.

Wendy continued to grow upset. "I'm sorr-"

Bambietta shook her head, closing her eyes for a moment. "It wasn't you. It was-"

Bambietta moved about then, sitting down on the floor beside Wendy. She kept her eyes shut and leaned her head back against the cold surface of the wall.

"It wasn't you, got it?"

"Bambi, what's wrong?" Lucy asked, the Celestial Spirit mage rubbing her eyes as she sat up.

"Is something the matter?" Levy said as she sat up from her cover, looking about.

Liltotto was next, the Quincy up on her feet, and looking down at the others. She, however, said nothing. Liltotto simply watched and listened, the Quincy once more noting the shift between the Bambietta she knew and the one before her now. She never had opened up like this in the Vandenreich and Liltotto knew it was with good reason. She herself would have been quiet, just as she was now, while Giselle and Candice would have probably made fun of her. Meninas would have been the only one capable of understanding.

This Fairy Tail was deciding different, Liltotto understood that well enough, but even still she could not understand the affect it was having on either Bambietta or herself.

"It's... nothing," Bambietta said, opening her eyes at last as she noticed how those awake were looking her way. "I just... It's stupid, okay?"

Wendy was clearly worried, the Dragon Slayer looking up at Bambietta. "No it's not. You're sad, so..."

Bambietta bit down on her lower lip, the Quincy reluctant to say anything, to speak at any length of her past. Lucy and the others had already heard some of it back on the train and that was more than enough as far as Bambietta was concerned. She did not dare to trouble with Wendy of all people with the details, but she desired the need to express herself despite that.

The question that still plagued Bambietta was why she felt such a need.

"I just had a bad dream, okay?" The Quincy looked around then, wondering when someone would laugh. However she received nothing of the sort, not even from Liltotto. That still did not put Bambietta in the right frame of mind. "I told you all it was stupid!"

"What the heck is wrong with all of you?" Gray suddenly asked, the ice mage rising into view as he glanced around from his own makeshift bed. "Natsu I totally expect to be a loudmouth when we're all trying to sleep, but now all the rest of you won't let me get any rest? For crying out loud..."

Bambietta did not spare Gray a glance at all, the Quincy expecting him to be naked in one form or another. It was not something she even needed to confirm. In the state she was in, all she cared about was him minding his own business. "Oh stuff it, Gray. You're the last person I want to bug me about this."

Gray snapped to attention then. "What was that?"

"Bambi, Bambi... Now look who's being antisocial." Liltotto scoffed at the notion, though not out of any inherent cruelty. She knew Bambietta well, though she was beginning to wonder just how well, but she understood enough how to press her buttons to get a desired response. You just had to challenge her was all.

Bambietta glared at Liltotto, getting the slightest bit annoyed in response to what had just been said. She fell right into the veritable trap then and there.

"It was a nightmare, all right? And I-" Bambietta winced slightly, the Quincy gently touching her throat with the fingertips of her right hand. "I don't want to... I... it was about my mother."

There was a silence then, one that left Liltotto regretting even forcing the conversation to continue. "Bambi..."

Gray suddenly felt her annoyance start to fade, the time on Galuna Island coming back to him. "Oh."

"I was stupid," Bambietta continued, the Quincy pulling her knees up towards her chin, wrapping her arms across her legs as she did so. "I was just a stupid kid crying out for attention. A daddy's girl. And he..."

Bambietta's eyes went cold.

"I hate him." Bambietta's head slumped forward then, her face hiding away in the process. Still she forced herself to talk. "But I still wanted his worthless approval. I wanted his love. So I... I attacked something I had no business fighting. And it was going to kill me. And... I wish it had."

"Bambi!" The Quincy turned then and could see the looks of worry on those she had come to know, yet it was Levy who surprisingly looked equal parts concerned and angry.

Bambietta was about to say something, anything in response to defend her questionable declaration, yet she stopped as she felt Wendy tense up beside her.

"Don't... please don't say things like that..."

Bambietta could hear just how freaked out Wendy was through her voice, the Quincy regretting her choice in words even if her belief in them had not faltered.

"I'm... sorry." Bambietta slipped her hand into her coat pocket, slipping out of it the Sanrei Glove that Liltotto had given to her the week before. "My mother was never good enough for my father. He was always saying how he was born better and she needed to become something greater to please him. So he forced her to wear something like this to become stronger. But... she was so frail. And..."

Bambietta paused for a moment, knowing that almost none of what she was saying probably made any sense to Wendy.

"This thing makes it harder to... to use magic," the Quincy began to say, trying her hardest to add context for the uninitiated. "Every day I saw my mother struggling to move, to breathe with it on. But then, that day I picked a fight I couldn't win... she took the glove off and it released all the power she could hope to ever have."

Bambietta's hand fell to her side, the Sanrei Glove held tightly within her shaking fingers.

"She killed the monster and saved my life... at the cost of her own. That stupid glove took away her powers, just like she was told, but her body couldn't sustain itself afterwards. The stress was too..." Bambietta's teeth began to come together, a moment of anger consuming her. "She didn't do anything wrong! And I..."

The moment passed quickly, the Quincy resting her forehead against her knees once more.

"At first I blamed the monster, then my father. But as the sleepless nights went on I knew I was to blame too. Me and... an unforgivable god."

Liltotto listened well, the Quincy quickly beginning to regret ever crafting a Sanrei Glove for Bambietta. Now more than ever she realized it had been an inconsiderate mistake. Nonetheless did she quickly correct herself. There was no way for Liltotto to have ever known the truth. Bambietta had been many things since they had first met. She was loud, she was brash, she was always desiring to be the center of attention. One thing she had never been, however, was a person capable of opening herself up to those she considered her friends.

Now things were different.

"Bambi, I'm sorry." Liltotto had not meant to say it, she had not planned it in the least, but it had slipped out nonetheless.

"For what?" Bambietta said, glancing up with tired eyes. "It's not like I ever told you anything about it."

Liltotto wanted to ask one thing then. She wanted to utter one simple word. Why? Why would Bambietta not open up to those she considered her friends within the Vandenreich? Yes, they had bickered and snapped at each other, but nobody was perfect.

Then it hit Liltotto, the obvious truth to it all right before her very eyes. Things were different now, they had changed. Giselle had broken Bambietta both in body and spirit right before her eyes.

No, not solely Giselle as Liltotto had to remind herself. Stern Ritter Z had been responsible through action while the rest, herself included, had been complicit through inaction.

They had broken Bambietta and now this world, this guild, was picking up the pieces. Liltotto had to wonder then if she had any place in hearing what her friend had to say.

"Give me the glove," Liltotto said, walking towards Bambietta and reaching out to her.

Bambietta looked up at Liltotto, a spark in her eyes despite how tired they appeared. "What?"

"I shouldn't have made it for you," Liltotto continued. "I was ignorant, so I want to take it back for your sake."

"No way," Bambietta said, smiling despite her own internal issues. "Come on, Lil. You know me better than that. What's mine is mine."

"But you're not even going to wear it," Liltotto contested.

"I... can't," Bambietta said, looking at the glove in her hand. She glanced up at Liltotto, wiping a hand across her face as she smiled once again. "But... it's the thought that counts."

Bambietta slipped the Sanrei Glove back into the coat pocket whence it came, leaning back against the far wall. She knew that all eyes were on her and that was normally something she did not mind in the least. Now, however, was not one of those times.

"Look, my sob story is-"

"It wasn't your fault."

"Huh?" Bambietta looked at Natsu, the Quincy having not expected to be interrupted by the likes of him.

"It wasn't your fault," Natsu repeated. "Aren't parents supposed to keep their kids safe?"

Bambietta sighed. "You're so darn simplistic. It was my fault that she-"

"She wanted you to live, right?" Natsu interrupted once more, causing Bambietta's blood pressure to spike a little bit. "So I bet she didn't have any regrets!"

Bambietta looked away. "No, no she didn't. But I have enough for the both of us."

"You really think that's what she'd want?" Levy asked, moving a bit closer to Bambietta. "Come on, you can't believe-"

Gray grew a little annoyed then, remembering well the last and perhaps one of the only meaningful conversations he had had with Bambietta. "She sacrificed herself so you could live, right? Tell me, how would she feel if she knew this was the end result?"

"Does it matter what she wants?" Bambietta interrupted, the Quincy barely registering that Gray had thrown back at her what she had said to him on Galuna Island. "She's gone and I'm all that's left. Me and a lifetime of feeling sorry for myself."

Liltotto continued to watch, the Quincy catching herself from saying something stupid. It had just popped in her head, the notion of Bambietta having already lived and died once already, something that should have extinguished such lasting remorse. No doubt it was something she would have said back in their home world without any hesitation. That alone was proof enough of what was so very wrong of their old friendship. Comparing it to the reactions of those around both herself and Bambietta, those of Fairy Tail, was only driving the point home further to Liltotto.

"Bambi," Lucy said. "I understand how you feel, even if only a little, but-"

"I miss my mother too," Wendy said softly as she leaned up against Bambietta's arm. "And it still hurts that I don't know what happened to her, but I know Grandeeny wouldn't want me to be sad forever."

Bambietta sighed. She knew what the others were saying was right, but just because they were correct that didn't mean their views were accurate for her. Not yet. It was too soon.

Yet Bambietta knew that was foolish on her part as she looked down at Wendy, the little Dragon Slayer's eyes possessing a warmth and optimism that seemed to recapitulate the nature of this world the Quincy was in now.

If Wendy could find peace of heart and move on in the relative blink of an eye, then why could she herself do the same in her unnaturally long existence. Was it because this Earthland was so different on a fundamental level? Was it because it was not ruled by unjust gods?

No, Bambietta knew the answer well enough. She was a flawed, broken individual who's worst traits were approved of and nurtured by both a father and a savior.

Bambietta was nothing if not always looking for competition, be it in battle or daily life, and it was the precise cover she needed to keep her standing amongst those around her as high as she felt it could be. She had opened up too far and too fast and she was hoping to take control of the situation.

"Well now," Bambietta said as she reached out with one hand and ruffled the hair atop Wendy's head, "I can't just go and let a little girl get one over on me, can I? "

Bambietta did her best to smile. It took a moment, her smile fading, the Quincy unable to force it. Yet then, quite suddenly, did it spring to life of its own accord. Completely out of her control, Bambietta found herself honestly content.

"No more regrets, okay?"

Wendy looked up at Bambietta and smiled in return. The Quincy was more than happy with the situation, having regretted opening herself up the way she had. Whether or not those around her were kind or not, she was not thrilled with having subjected herself to pity of any sort. It was better perhaps than the ridicule she would have expected within the Vandenreich, but no less welcome.

"Hey, I hate to break up the Fairy Tail love fest you've all got going on, but we've got trouble!"

"What now?" Gray asked, looking at the panicked expression evident on Totomaru's face.

"Monsters!" he shouted in return. "It's like... they're all converging on this place!"

Bambietta's smile shifted from one of happiness to another born out of a much darker emotion. "Sweet. Stress relief has come at last."

Bambietta stood up then, moving closer to the windows as Natsu began to rouse the remaining sleeping members of Fairy Tail. Yet as Bambietta approached the window her smile turned upside down.

"That's... too much stress relief."

Approaching the train station was row after row of reptilian monsters, all of them lined up and walking as if in tandem. It was odd to Bambietta, to see such brutal beasts seemingly in full control of themselves. The unending amount before her was still more unnerving however.

"So it's true," Jenny said as she moved close to Bambietta. "They're really is a superior force behind this."

"What are you talking about?" Bambietta asked, eyeing the blonde.

"The monsters," Jenny continued. "They've appeared far too coordinated in their attacks the last few days. And their tactics have gone far beyond any simple animal pack mentality. If you ask me... something or someone is controlling them."

"So... magic," Bambietta replied. "You think someone is controlling the S-Class monster too?"

"Or it is the S-Class monster," Jenny replied. "It's been known to happen, but never to this extreme."

Levy began to move towards the window and stand beside both the Quincy and the Blue Pegasus wizard. "So you're saying we just have to maybe find this S-Class monster and they'll lose all motivation to fight?"

"Search and destroy," Bambietta remarked. "That's mine kind of-"

The Quincy never got to finish her declaration, a symphony of explosive fury suddenly enveloping the outside of the train station. Blue bursts of energy came alive, engulfing the legion of monsters as they approached.

Levy turned to look at Bambietta, a judgmental expression clear as day upon her face. "Bambi..."

"Oh come on!" Bambietta shouted in response. "Just because stuff starts blowing up, you're all 'Bambi, you got some explaining to do!' I have feelings to you know!"

"Right idea, wrong Quincy," Liltotto said as she approached. "I figured we needed a little extra security, so while it was my turn to stand guard, I decided to lay out some Ginto capsules of my own in a perimeter around the building."

"You did?" Levy asked, genuinely surprised.

Bambietta, meanwhile, was not. She slipped behind Liltotto, slipping one arm over a shoulder pinching her cheek. "Don't let this unassuming exterior fool you! Behind it lies the mind of a strategist!"

Liltotto pulled herself away from Bambietta, rubbing the side of her face as she did so. All the while her face assumed the slightest shade of pink. "You don't have to-"

"Seriously, I know it's kind of a plot twist," Bambietta continued, Liltotto's plea falling on deaf ears, "but she's totally the smart one out of my..."

Bambietta suddenly grew dour, the Quincy's overly emotional expression fading.

"... My old friends."

Bambietta shook her head, unwilling to fall back into the throes of sorrow. Her smile beamed once more as she pointed at Liltotto.

"Nice work, smarty pants," Bambietta continued, watching as the explosions faded, leaving behind nothing of the advancing wave of low class monsters. "You really-"

"Those were bombs?" Natsu asked, suddenly moving closer. "When did you set those up again?"

"During my last turn standing guard," Liltotto repeated. "I think it was right before your last turn."

Natsu sighed. "So that's why I got blown up when I went around the back of the building to take a leak."

Liltotto looked away. "I'm sorry."

"Ah, don't set it, Lil!" Bambietta interrupted, pulling her friend in close. "I totally did worse to him the first day we met! He's a trooper!"

"But I should have warned everyone," Liltotto continued.

"No worries!" Natsu added on, trying to brush off the situation. "Even the smartest people make dumb mistakes sometimes!"

"And even the dumbest people can do something smart every now and then," Bambietta muttered, watching as Liltotto faintly began to cheer up in response to Natsu's attitude.

Yet then did Liltotto glance up at Bambietta. "Pot, kettle."

Bambietta furrowed her brow. "Huh?"

"Exactly."

Bambietta scowled for a moment, knowing full well she had fallen into Liltotto's little word trap. It was nothing new, not at all, Bambietta having grown accustomed to Liltotto's personality over the years.

"Well that takes down the C-Class monsters," Jenny said, staring at Liltotto's handiwork all the while. "But I doubt this is over yet."

Levy looked to Jenny then, quite worried. "You don't think-"

Jenny looked at Bambietta. "I need eyes in the sky."

Bambietta glared at Jenny. "What, I'm being reduced to surveillance? Come on, Happy the freaking cat can go do that."

"And if he gets attacked, can he defend himself?"

"He can carry me up there," Natsu offered. "Then I can-"

"I can do it!" Bambietta grinned, knowing there was a possibility for battle if she did get caught. Then she was gone, a burst of Hirenkyaku taking her out of the sight of all around.

"She's got spunk," Jenny said, folding her arms across her chest. "Maybe too much."

Levy, meanwhile, just sighed. "That's Bambi for you."


Bambietta soon found herself standing in the sky above the train station, the Quincy trying to get the lay of the land.

"Come on, come on," she whispered under her breath with utter impatience. "Something see me and attack already. It can't be that hard. I'm wearing white, you should see me a... mile... away..."

The Quincy's voice trailed off, Bambietta getting a good look at the field and forest outside of Clover. There were monsters by the dozens stepping out of the forest, bigger and nastier ones then any she had seen in the past week. Her spiritual senses came alive, Bambietta able to sense the strength of this legion.

These were no simple C-Class monsters. No, not at all. These were something different indeed. Plentiful sources of B-Class power, faint traces of A-Class strength among them.

"But where... where's the S-Class monster?" Bambietta grew frustrated. "It can't possibly be hiding its power, not if it doesn't know people like me and Lil are around."

Bambietta took one last look at the veritable army of monsters and began to make her way back to the train station.

"Something's not right, not at all."


Wendy was worried, the Dragon Slayer looking out towards the skylight of the train station. She had heard what Jenny had told Bambietta, she had seen the Quincy leave in a flash, and now she was simply wishing that she could catch even the faintest glimpse of Bambietta in the night sky.

Yet there was nothing and Wendy was growing distraught. "I hope she's okay."

"Good heavens, child," Carla said as she approached her friend. "That woman is no doubt just fine. However, I do wish to make this clear, Wendy."

"What's wrong, Carla?" Wendy asked, looking down at the cat.

"I do not approve of that woman," Carla said, the white cat looking quite serious. "She is nothing but trouble if you ask me and I don't want her being a bad influence on you."

Bambietta appeared within the train station with one quick step of Hirenkyaku, the Quincy managing to catch the last part of what Carla had to say. The cat was not wrong, Bambietta understood that well enough, yet she was far from happy to hear it vocalized by another.

Still, she did her best to ignore it. "Well, goods news," the Quincy began to say. "Lil totally wrecked the first wave for sure."

"And the bad news?" Liltotto asked, nonchalant as ever.

"There's a whole lot more monsters pouring out from the forest," Bambietta continued. "A bunch of B-Class stuff... Vulcans, lizard men, bat men, you name it. And I think I saw some chicken monsters too."

"All right, we can roast some chicken for dinner! It's about time I have something more substantial than fire in my belly!"

"Aye, sir!"

Bambietta turned around to face Natsu and Happy, taking note of how Liltotto was moving beside them.

"I agree with the Dragon Slayer and the flying kitty cat," the blonde Quincy said. "And I'm kind of hungry."

Bambietta grinned slightly despite the situation she and the others were in, then looked back to Jenny. "I also sensed a few A-Class monsters scattered around them, like they're waiting for the advancing force to test the waters.

"Test the waters?"

Bambietta's slight smile dropped completely then. "It looks like they're all going to converge on us and the town."

"Well that's just dandy." Jenny rubbed her eyes with her thumb and index finger before looking back to those under her command. "Boy and girls, here's the plan, so listen and listen well. We're splitting up into teams again and meeting them head on before they reach the town. Natsu, Gray and Loke, you're going to approach right down the middle. Liltotto, Lucy and Levy, you've got the right side. Totomaru and Cana, you've got the left. As for me... I'm going to find that S-Class monster and put it down."

Natsu and the others nodded their heads in approval and began to exit the train station. However, one member of the Fairy Tail guild was far from amused.

"Hey!" Bambietta shouted, drawing Jenny's attention. "What about me?"

"You," Jenny said, sparing Bambietta a glance, "are staying put beside Wendy. There's no way I want our little healer in the thick of things, not when some of us might need to double back for some help if things go south out there."

"But I want some action!" Bambietta shouted, not willing to drop the point. Then did she simply glare at Jenny. "Oh, I get it. You just can't stand me, even after a week. Sheesh, talk about holding a grudge."

"Okay, I seriously can't stand spunk like yours," Jenny said, rubbing her temples with both hands, "but that's not it, no. I'm pretty sure Wendy here wants you to stick close and... I'll be honest, I'm trusting you with keeping the town safe."

"What?" Bambietta had not expected that last part.

"You're no pushover," Jenny continued. "And I know you've got things locked down both in close quarters and range. So if anything so much as slips past us and gets into Clover, I want you to put it down quickly and efficiently."

Bambietta grinned in response. "Oh, I can do that. Sounds like fun."


"This is so boring."

Bambietta continued to pace back and forth atop the roof of the train station, leaving both Wendy and Carla to watch in silence.

"Man, Jenny didn't think this through," Bambietta continued to complain. "Now she's almost got me rooting against my home team just so I can fight a monster that slips into town..."

Despite her irritation, Bambietta continued to keep her spiritual senses awake and alive so that she could sense anything amiss, to notice a monster closing in. Nothing was happening, however, and that was precisely the problem.

"I've got an idea," Wendy said rather timidly.

"No, don't encourage this woman," Carla whispered as she tugged on the girl's dress. "It would not be wise."

Bambietta snapped to attention and looked at Wendy. "We ignore what Jenny said and leap into the fray of battle?"

Wendy went wide eyed in response. "N-no, I was thinking we could maybe get a closer look at the fights. I thought maybe you'd enjoy that..."

Carla scoffed at the notion. "Or she'll just get jealous of the others."

"Wendy, you're a genius!" Bambietta all but scampered over to the Dragon Slayer, throwing her off guard in the process. "You want to see something cool?"

"S-sure," the young girl said. "Whatever you say."

"Okay!" Bambietta stood beside Wendy, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I can't say I've ever really done this too often, but there's plenty of magic around, so it should work out. Now hold on to that pussycat of yours..."

Wendy quickly scooped up Carla, completely unsure of what to expect. She could not help it, Wendy shivering slightly.

"Oh, don't be scared," Bambietta said in response. "You're a Sky Dragon Slayer, so I bet you'll love this. Well, as long as I don't botch it up."

Wendy glanced felt it, a spark of magic in the air, one that was soon followed by another and another. She glanced down then and could see a glowing blue light forming beneath her feet. She moved closer to Bambietta in response, clinging to her tightly.

The Quincy chuckled slightly. "And here I thought you said my powers were pretty."

Bambietta concentrated on the physical manifestation of her Hirenkyaku, making sure that it remained solidified. Then, once she was satisfied, she forced the power to rise, slowly lifting herself, Wendy and Carla up into the night sky.

Wendy began to relax then, yet still held tightly to Bambietta, all the while glancing down at the city below. Lights peaked out from the darkness, shining brightly and taking hold of her attention. "It's so pretty."

"That's more like it." Bambietta gently touched the side of her own face, wiping away a drop of nervous sweat. It had been a long time since she had used this technique, the last occurrence having been during the Vandenreich's invasion of Hueco Mundo. She had been ready to grab hold of both Wendy and her cat and keep them safe on a more traditional invisible platform if it proved necessary, but she was glad such a failure of her powers had not occurred. That would have been embarrassing. "Now, as for the battles at hand..."

Bambietta, slipped a hand into the cloak draped across her shoulder, slipping free from it a pair of binoculars that had been left behind by Jenny for the purposes of reconnaissance. She brought it up to her eyes and began to survey the battleground that was the field outside of Clover.

The battles seemed to be progressing well, three trios that Jenny had devised fending well against the horde that Liltotto had thinned out with her trap. Jenny herself was keeping her distance, no doubt trying to discern where the S-Class monster itself was.

"So how are they doing?" Wendy asked, glancing up at Bambietta.

"Well," Bambietta began to say, "they're all having a fun time of it. I'm so jelly."

"I knew it," Carla said with a sigh.

Bambietta continued to cast her gaze across the battle, focusing in on the trio that mattered the most to her. Lucy, Levy and Liltotto were holding up well enough, arrows and written words of power bringing down monster after monster, all the while Taurus tearing through the ranks as Lucy was waving out to him.

"Oh good," Bambietta whispered to herself. "They seem to be working well together."


Liltotto kept moving, dodging the seemingly endless waves of monsters as she let arrows from her Quincy bow fly in return. Beast after beast went down under her assault, yet she was paying it little mind. Her spiritual senses were alive and well, allowing her eyes to focus on those that made up her current team instead.

Lucy was keeping her composure as well as any individual who could not rely on Blut Vene could, that much Liltotto had to admit. The mage was issuing instructions to her summoned spirit and Taurus was doing well, swatting aside opponents with surprising ease.

Levy was doing just fine as well, stick close to Lucy and offering support with a barrage of word based attacks, from fiery letters to even holes in the ground impeding any monsters attempts at getting close to them.

However it was not their combat prowess that Liltotto was interested in. She had spent much of the last week interacting with both and she could not help but like them deep down. They were so very different from those that Liltotto had known in her first life, either in the World of the Living or the Vandenreich. They were honest to a fault, their hearts pure.

It was times like this that Liltotto began to understand truly why Bambietta was liking this guild, even if she was unwilling or simply unable to admit it.

Then, quite suddenly, did Liltotto see worried expression on the faces of both her allies, Lucy and Levy looking way.

"Lil!"

"Behind you!"

The Quincy turned fast, Hirenkyaku bringing her around in the blink of an eye. An arrow shot off instantly, tearing through the torso of the monster that had tried to sneak up on her.

"Damn."

Liltotto was not happy with herself, not at all. She had allowed herself to get far too caught up with her own internal feelings, a mistake that may not have proven fatal thanks to her control over Blut, but it would have been annoying nonetheless. She had always been far too preoccupied with how others perceived her, even if she did not let them know that. She had to wonder if Bambietta saw through that fact just as she saw through her friend's boisterous nature.

"We both... just don't want to be alone."

Liltotto refused to lose focus on her spiritual senses, suddenly feeling a bevy of them behind her. She whirled around quick, seeing a horde suddenly descending upon Lucy and Levy. Now they were too preoccupied with Liltotto to defend themselves in time.

The Quincy acted fast, allowing the Gluttony to activate for the first time since she had gone out on patrol with Levy at the start of this long mission. Her lower face extending outwards over Lucy and Levy's heads, her mouth stretching out and quickly snapping down on the monsters. They struggled as they vanished from sight, but they were no match for Liltotto's power.

Her mouth came back into place and Liltotto waited for the inevitable. She had avoided her power time and time again precisely because she did not enjoy Levy's initial reaction to it. Fate had forced her hand once more and she expected the worst.

"Thank you, Lil."

The Quincy looked up and could see the relief on both Levy and Lucy's faces, neither of them horrified or disgusted by her powers.

"It was..." Liltotto paused for a moment. "It was nothing."

The Quincy began to regret holding back on her strength for sake of sparing others negative emotions. However, she knew that there was one other to consider when it came to that.

That was someone she could not hurt in such a way, no matter what the cost.


"Awww, they're getting all buddy-buddy," Bambietta said as she watched on, keeping the binoculars over her eyes. She was rather happy, having completely forgotten how bored the lack of fighting any monsters herself was. "I knew you could do it, Lil."

"So they're... they're doing okay?" Wendy asked, tugging on Bambietta's skirt as she looked up at her.

"Just fine," Bambietta replied. "I don't think you're going to have to worry about healing any more nasty wounds."

Wendy smiled slightly and leaned against Bambietta's body, Carla caught between them both.

"Wendy, I appreciate how nice you can be," the cat gasped, "but I implore you not to crush me like this."

Wendy pulled away quick, allowing Carla space as she hugged the cat to her torso. "I'm sorry!"

"Okay, I'm so not going to break that habit any time soon," Bambietta said, keeping her eyes sharp for any monsters managing to slip into the town. "Speaking of breaking things, let's see how Natsu and company are doing."

Bambietta let her spiritual senses guide her, the Quincy focuses on particular source of magic she had grown quite familiar with as of late. It was strange to Bambietta, to be able to so readily seek out sources of power the way she could in this reality. In her own world those who wielded powers beyond imagination were on an even playing field spiritually. They all could sense each other and knew that they could be sensed in turn. No matter how hard they tried, none could truly suppress their powers from another.

However, this world was different due to its unfamiliarity with the likes of a Quincy. Those who wielded power could not help but allow it to flow out almost at all times. More importantly, however, was how much their very spirit would influence that projection of their strength. Bambietta knew well how some who had wished it, be they Quincy, Soul Reapers or Hollows had been able to broadcast their intents if they so wished. It was no different here in Fiore, though the likes of Natsu clearly had no control over how their emotions broadcasted alongside their inner strength.

While she had little reservations with invading others privacy if they could not contain themselves, it was strange to Bambietta still that she could truly read the souls of others in this world like they were open books. Some more than others, yes, but Natsu's soul burned the bright and Bambietta could not help but be drawn to it like the proverbial moth to the flame.

Natsu's power was a wild one after all. yet as much Bambietta felt there was some similarity in spirit between herself and the Fire Dragon Slayer, she knew it was only skin deep at best. While the Quincy was not one to consider herself and excellent judge of character, she could only help but feel that Natsu was no different on the inside as he was on the external level. Bambietta, however, knew full well that there was a coldness at her center despite how much she projected a more outgoing personality.

That was precisely why she was suddenly surprised by the strange lack of genuine emotion at the epicenter of what she perceived to be Natsu's soul. This was a colder soul, akin to her own in several respects. Bambietta snapped to attention then, seeing with her eyes and not her spiritual senses, and could see through her binoculars not the Fire Dragon Slayer she had fought once before but the mage from Phantom Lord. Fire was bursting forth from his hands, scathing any monsters that dared to an approach him.

"What a moron."

Bambietta watched on with the slightest bit of disgust, the Quincy taking note of a very simple fact: Totomaru was not a team player, at least when it came to working alongside other guilds. He was operating on his own, leaving Loke and Cana to fend for themselves as a duo.

They were at least doing good despite that, Loke facing the monsters head on in close combat while Cana provided support with ranged attacks.

Bambietta suddenly furrowed her brow then, her senses flaring up as her gaze passed over Loke. Something felt off about him, yet at the same time not. The Quincy could not figure out for the life of her what was up with that.

"They're doing good, right?"

Bambietta heard it again, Wendy's voice asking a question she had already had answered not moments before.

"You're scared, aren't you?" Bambietta asked, lowering her binoculars and looking down at the Sky Dragon Slayer.

"No," Wendy offered up as an answer all her own. "I don't see any reason to be scared for myself when you're around."

Bambietta sighed. "You don't even know me that well."

"But you've been nice to me this whole week."

Bambietta's face grew quite withdrawn for a moment, a tired haze casting over her eyes. "A week? I hung out with someone for longer than you've been alive and I found out in the end that didn't know her at all."

"But..." Wendy began to stammer. "But you're nice."

"Not always." The Quincy turned around, not willing to continue where the conversation had turned. "So what are you so afraid of?"

"I just... don't want anyone to get hurt is all."

Bambietta watched as the battles of Clover's field continued, attacks scattering the lower class monsters left and right. "Like I said, I don't think you have to worry about that. But..." Bambietta faintly looked down at her right arm. "I knew you shouldn't have seen that."

"What?" Wendy peaked around Bambietta, careful to keep her footing on the spiritual platform, and looked at the Quincy's arm. "Oh."

"Trust me," Bambietta said, "you don't have to worry about seeing anything like that... again..."

Bambietta's voice trailed off, the Quincy unable to utter the word 'again.' She looked to Wendy and shrugged faintly.

"I told you I don't like to lie to make others feel better, didn't I?" Bambietta reached out and placed a hand on Wendy's shoulder. "Yeah, I did. And that's why... I can't make you any promises like that. I'm sorry."

Wendy nodded her head slowly. "Please, don't be. Besides, if you have faith in your guild, then so will I."

Wendy turned her gaze back to the battlefield, squinting to get a better look. Bambietta shook her head slightly, handing Wendy the binoculars. "Your turn. I'll do this my way."

Wendy graciously took the binoculars and held them up to her eyes, all the while Bambietta reached out with her spiritual senses once more.


"Fire Dragon's Roar!" A burst of flames shot across the field, pushing back a wave of monsters, leaving Natsu in the free and clear to admire his handiwork. "These guys ain't so tough!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy exclaimed, flying about the battleground. "Mop the floor with them, Natsu!"

"What a showoff!" Gray kept his distance, the mage unwilling to be upstaged with Natsu. Within his hands ice began to appear from thin air and take shape. "Ice-Make: Ice Canon!"

A ball of concentrated ice shot force from the makeshift weapon, striking the monster horde in the center and sending their forces scattering about.

"You two aren't half bad," Elfman said, his right arm assuming a monstrous shape as he lunged towards his prey. "But now it's time for a real man to show you both how it's done!"

Elfman smashed into the monsters with no room for finesse, sending them flying back with one massive strike.

"Man," Natsu shouted. "We totally should have been keeping score!"

"Actually," Happy began to say, "your roar took out twenty-seven monsters, Gray got twenty-one and Elfman looked like he got thirty just now."

Elfman raised an arm in victory, Gray simply shaking his head.

"No way!" Natsu shouted. "You're supposed to be on my side, little buddy!"

Happy was about to say something, but the cat suddenly flinched as the ground shook around them. He turned to see a rather hulking beast approaching, the humanoid monster standing at least ten feet tall.

"What is that?" Elfman asked.

"A hawk man, I guess," Gray answered, the ice mage completely bewildered. "Please don't tell me this is an A-Class monster."

Natsu slammed his fists together, unconcerned with the species of monster that stood before him. "Time to roast this guy good!"

"You worthless, wretched humans!" the monster suddenly bellowed. ""You will impede Master Gisbourne's plans no longer!"

"It... talks?" Gray blinked. "Great, something else I can file alongside the monocle spider and corset rat..."

"You talk tough," Natsu said, his hands lighting up with flames, "but all I see is a great big bird just waiting to be plucked before we move on to the big boss man!"

"You wretched fool!" the hawk monster all but cawed. "You are unworthy of facing my glorious lord and you will die for standing in his way!"


Bambietta lowered her binoculars, the Quincy staring off into space and worrying Wendy.

"Is something wrong? Did somebody get hurt? Do I have to heal them?"

"No," Bambietta said softly. "I just... I couldn't hear it, but... it almost looks like Natsu, Gray and Elfman are talking to a giant bird. I just... this world is... I don't know sometimes. I like it, but... I don't know."

"You okay?" Wendy asked innocently enough.

"Yeah, I'm just peachy," Bambietta said. "Weird or not, this world is a step up from the last."


"Taurus! No!"

Lucy watched as her Celestial Spirit was batted aside by the clawed paw that belonged to the recent newcomer to the battle of Clover's field. It was a large beast, covered in brown fur, a perpetual snarl adorning its face.

Levy took a step back as the beast crouched down on all fours and roared. "Is that... a giant bear?"

Liltotto's lips curled up ever so slightly. "Looks tasty."

"What the devil are you?" the bear said, surprising all before it.

"It can talk?" Lucy asked, completely stunned.

"Darn," Liltotto muttered. "I hate a dinner that gets mouthy while I'm trying to enjoy my meal."

The bear flinched for a moment, it's eyes glaring at Liltotto with evil intent. "That's my line, you little witch."


"You little witch?" Bambietta muttered to herself, the binoculars once more up to her eyes. "Okay, maybe I totally read the bears lips wrong, but talk about your lousy lines. Sheesh..."

"Do you think any monsters will get into the town?" Wendy asked rather nervously, once more clinging to Bambietta.

Carla saw that very well, the cat not particularly fond of the whole situation. "At the rate those wizards and the fool tom cat are going, I don't imagine any will make it out of that field. A relief, I'm sure."

"Well I hope at least one or two manage it," Bambietta said of her own accord. "I do want some action today."

Carla looked up at Bambietta, noting the glint of joy in her eyes. It was obvious to Carla just as it would be to anyone else that this woman craved violence. It was precisely why the cat had little desire to see Wendy so invested in being friendly to one such as this.

"I don't want to fight though," Wendy said softly, looking out at the field and watching as those of Fairy Tail, Phantom Lord and Blue Pegasus did just that.

Bambietta lost her smile as she watched Wendy grow withdrawn. She reached out at gently placed a hand atop her head, ruffling her hair as she did so. "You don't have to worry, okay? I'll handle that part for you."

Carla kept a close watch still, the cat curious when it came to this Quincy. She did not approve of any friendship between her and Wendy, no, but it was moments like that that made Carla reconsider.


"You know, I was expecting a whole lot more from a monster army!" Cana watched as beast after beast fell before the combined might of herself and Loke, the creatures littering the grassy knoll that had become a battleground. "If it was going to be this easy, then we all should have gone right after them from the start instead of messing around all week long!"

Loke listened well to Cana, watching as her frequent cards attacks shot across the landscape. He had to admit, it was proving less of a formidable challenge then he had initially expected, but the mage had to remind himself that they were Fairy Tail's A-Class wizards after all. The fact that they were working alongside two S-Class wizards was not hurting their chances in the least.

Those facts, however, were not at the forefront of Loke's mind. As he listened to Cana rattle on about how easy this was, he simply could not stop thinking how much he liked a fire like that in a woman. Between her and Bambietta, this mission had proven to be entertaining over the last week.

Loke just wished that he had gotten the chance to actually go out on patrol with at least one of them.

"Whoa!" Lost in thought as he was, Loke had been unprepared for an enemy attack. He counted his blessing when the monster had managed to do nothing more than graze his dark green coat with its claws, missing his flesh by nothing more than an inch.

Loke prepared to launch an attack of his own, a golden glow forming around his right hand, when a burst of flame shut by quite suddenly. The monster was forced the back by the surprise attack, leaving Loke free enough to look at the one who had helped him.

"Come on!" Totomaru shouted, sparing a glance towards Loke and Cana. "Get your heads in the game because I really don't have the time to babysit you fairies!"

"I don't like him," Cana said under her breath.

"That makes two of us," Gray replied. "But let's try and keep in mind he's not the ene- Hey, watch out!"

Totomaru suddenly gasped in pain, a spurt of blood flying out from his shoulder. The Phantom Lord wizard turned quickly in response, his eyes settling on a strange creature not a few yards away. Standing upright, its body was covered in quills and a pair of dark eyes stared back at Totomaru.

"Nice shot, you beady eyed piece of garbage," Totomaru said, ignoring his pain all the while. "I guess you must be an A-Class monster."

"One of them, yes," the beast replied.

"A talking porcupine man?" Loke was simply mystified. "That's not quite the A-Class I was expecting."


"That Totomaru guy got hurt!" Wendy shouted, lowering the binoculars for a moment.

"And now I'm glad I didn't make any promises," Bambietta replied. The Quincy began to mutter under her breath then, intent on not letting Wendy hear what she could not keep entirely to herself. "Phantom Lord's prick versus a prickly monster. Sounds legit."

"Huh?" Wendy chimed in, unsure if Bambietta had said anything to her.

"Oh, it's nothing!" Bambietta stammered, trying to hide her questionable choice of words. "Nothing at all!"


"You're no S-Class monster."

Jenny found herself facing down an upright wolf man. It was strong, she could tell that much from just looking at it, but it was not the prey she sought.

"No, I am but a humble servant of Master Gisbourne," the wolf snarled. "And you are not worthy of challenging him."

Jenny simple looked at the wolf with a sneer of disgust. "Really now? Do you have any idea to who you are speaking to?"

"A pitiful wizard who thinks she can stand up to the inevitable," the wolf answered quick and to the point. "And a pitiful wizard who is going to be torn limb from limb in just a moment..."

"Is that what you think is going to happen?" Jenny brought the back of her hand up towards her mouth, a haughty laugh echoing out from it. "You sill little fleabag, you really don't know who you're picking a fight with."

Jenny brought her left arm up, the limb extending out at a horizontal level as it became engulfed in magic.

"What is that?" the wolf beast said, taking a step back.

"Such a stupid little mutt you are," Jenny countered. "You have no idea who you're messing with. I am Jenny Realight, S-Class wizard of Blue Pegasus! And you? You've just dug your own grave!"

The wolf took a step back in fear before doubling down on its convictions. It bared its fangs at Jenny, claws flaring up with magical energy all its own. "You don't scare me! You can't! Master Gisbourne's orders are absolute and if killing you is what it takes to lay waste to Clover, then so be it!"

Jenny glared at the wolf monster with no hidden amount of malic, concentrating still on her magic. "Apollyon Soul!"

Jenny stood then before the wolf beast in red and black armor that was adorned by white markings. From her gauntlet hung a segmented metal rod, the whip-like weapon jagged at its edges.

"A Machina Take Over?" the wolf monster said, flinching slightly. "Impressive, human, but it will not make me kneel before you!"

"Give it time," Jenny replied calmly. "I have that effect on both people and pets."


"Darn, they're really going to have all the fun." Bambietta was sitting atop her spiritual platform now, her legs kicking faintly against the night air. She was barely paying attention now, her elbows propped up against her knees as the edges of her face rested in the palms of her hands. "This is so boring..."

"Say, Bambi?"

Wendy was speaking but the Quincy was far too lost in her own despair to notice. "I just want to fight something already..."

"Uhm, Bambi?"

"Why won't anything just slip in to town and attack us?"

"Bambi, something is slipping into town and looks like it's going to attack us!"

That perked Bambietta up and she looked at Wendy with the biggest, brightest grin possible. "You just made my day, Wendy!"

Bambietta hopped up on to her feet and looked to the skies. Sure enough she could see it, a group of bat men swopping through the night air.

"Left overs!" the Quincy all but squealed. "And a bunch of Gigis to boot! This is going to be so much fun!"

Bambietta began to summon her bow before looking back at Wendy, noting the nervousness in her eyes. Bambietta had her own brief moment of concern, knowing full well these were the very same types of monsters that had wounded her greatly and required her to seek Wendy's aide a week before.

"This isn't going to be pretty, Wendy." Bambietta suddenly scooped up Wendy and Carla, using Hirenkyaku to take them to a nearby roof. She began to turn away then, stepping up on to an invisible platform before looking back to the little Dragon Slayer and her cat. "Adults only. Sorry."

Then Bambietta was gone, leaping up to greet the coming onslaught. As she drew closer to the bat men, she promised herself that she would not need to subject Wendy to healing another horrific wound born out of the Quincy's own foolishness. It was more than a mere promise. Bambietta was never one to lie to make others feel better, not even herself.

"So I hear you ugly motherfuckers want in Clover, right?" Bambietta shouted as she appeared before the wave of flying beasts. She was content now that she could curse to her heart's content far and away from Wendy's delicate little ears. "Well I got news for you all! I'm the welcoming-"

Bambietta felt the cold air whip around her, the monsters flying right before just as their brethren had a week earlier.

"You sons of bitches!" Bambietta shouted, using Hirenkyaku to get ahead of them again. "You never ever let me finish a damn introduction! Well you know what? I'm sick of it!"

Bambietta brought her bow into existence and let loose a single arrow that struck one of the bat men directly in the head. It did not even have the chance to cry out, its body descending to the town below. The other creatures finally came to a stop, flapping their winged arms to remain afloat as they looked at Bambietta.

"Do I have your attention now?" Bambietta asked. "It's about damn time! So where were we?" Bambietta paused for a moment. "Damn it! You all got me so worked up I forgot what I was going to say before! You're going to regret this, you freaks; all the way to the grave!"

Bambietta let loose with a barrage of arrows then, no longer interested in a prolonged battle. They pierced flesh and bone with ease, leaving the legion of sky borne monsters to fall to the ground just as their leader had.

For a moment Bambietta lamented how uneventful the battle had been, stopping only when she remembered well the promise she had made to herself for Wendy's sake.

She was not hurt, she was not injured. There was no terrible, bloody wound the young girl would have to heal. That was enough for Bambietta then.

"See," she whispered to herself, "I didn't lie."

Content, Bambietta made her back to the rooftop where Wendy and Carla were waiting.

"Did... did everything go all right?" the Sky Dragon Slayer asked.

"Darn straight!" Bambietta answered, the Quincy rotating her right arm around as if stretching it for moment. "Not a scratch on me."

Wendy smiled brightly as she looked at the confident Quincy. "That's a relief. Maybe this mission will be easier than I thought when I came here."

"Easy, huh?" Bambietta looked over her shoulder, her spiritual senses focusing on the field. "Let's hope so."

"Is something the matter?" Carla asked.

"It's just," Bambietta began to say, "the S-Class monster hasn't shown its hand yet. I've got a bad feeling about this."


"Ice-Make: Shield!"

Behind Gray stood Natsu and Elfman, the two protected by the sudden icy barricade that the dark haired young man had created on the spot. Blades of wind struck against the makeshift wall, chipping away slowly at the ice.

"Is that all you've got?" the hawk monster asked as it flapped its wings, creating a fiery storm of wind that continued to fly outwards. "How sad. Humans will be always be humans, nothing more! How anticlimactic."

"Damn it." Gray watched as a burst of razor wind cut through his barrier with ease, a chunk of ice landing beside him. "Ice-Make: Shield!"

Another wall of ice rose up from the ground behind the first, Gray praying that it would withstand the assault. Even then he was a realist and he turned on Natsu and Elfman.

"I suggest of you two do something about that birdbrain before we all get sliced to ribbons!"

"Time for a real man to step up then!" Elfman charged out from behind the barricade, his arm taking on the form of a beast's soul. "Let's do this!"

The hawk turned its gaze upon Elfman, lashing out with its gusts of wind. They struck the man down quickly, drawing blood as Elfman was forced back. The mage dropped to one knee then, trying to catch his breath.

"How utterly foolish of you," the hawk monster said. "But I admire your ability to act so foolishly."

"And I," Elfman managed to gasp out, looking at the hawk with a grin, "admire you're ability to pay attention to the wrong man!"

The hawk glared at Elfman then, the monster thrown off its game. "What are you-"

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

The hawk turned quickly at the sound of the voice, catching sight of Natsu hovering high above, Happy the cat holding on to him as his wings continued to flap. A brilliant leapt forth from the Dragon Slayer's mouth, the ball of fire descending upon the hawk monster.

"How can I be defeated by such pitiful wizards?" The monster shrieked as it became consumed in flame, dropping to the ground quite suddenly.

"Pitiful?" Natsu asked as he looked down at the motionless hawk. "Dude, we're Fairy Tail! We make everything better!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy simply nodded in approval. ""And that A-Class defeat should bring you up to... Hmmm... Forty points?"


"A bunch of A-Class wizards," the porcupine monster cackled as it continued to launch a hailstorm of quills at its prey. "Is this all that Clover has to offer for resistance? What a joke!"

Cana and Loke did their best to keep their wits about them, staying free from harm as they tried to form a plan of attack.

Totomaru, meanwhile, was not so diligent. The Phantom Lord wizard let his body become consumed in flame, the quills becoming nothing but ash as they came too close.

The porcupine beast snarled at the sight of its failed attack, choosing to double down and fire more projectiles as it began to give ground.

"A-Class?" Totomaru sneered as he stared at the porcupine man with contempt. "Don't you dare lump me in the same category as those Fairy Tail chumps? I am Totomaru of Phantom Lord! An esteemed member of the Element Four! And I am the S-Class mage who's fire will reduce you to ash!"

The red clad mage withdrew from the sheathe that adorned his back a katana, Totomaru offering a quiet chant. The blade suddenly become lit in blue fire and he held the weapon with both hands before him.

Then he surged forward at the porcupine monster with a precise and quick movement, his speed catching the monster off guard. He stood behind it then, his flaming sword held to his side.

"What was that just now?" the monster asked, peering over its shoulder at Totomaru. "Is this the best an S-Class wizard can-"

A streak of blue fire suddenly cut across the porcupine's throat, its head erupting in a blaze of glory. Totomaru spared it no attention, instead letting his blue flame extinguish as he sheathed his katana.

"You think that's the best I can do?" he asked no one in particular now. "Don't make me laugh. You were dead before you knew it."


"For a human you're pretty good!"

Jenny heard well the wolf monster's praise, but she had no use for it. She simply was concentrating on the victory before her, her Apollyon Soul's metallic whip lashing out at the beast. The monster leapt clear of the attack, leaving it to tear apart nothing but the ground.

The wolf was breathing heavily, cut in more places than it could count, Jenny's weapon having struck the creature several times over. This was a losing battle and it knew it, but the wolf had other methods.

"So you may be stronger than me," the wolf snarled. "Bully for you, S-Class Wizard, Jenny Realight! But only a fool would refuse to use all tools available!"

The wolf howled then, the sound it produced shifting the air all around. Jenny braced herself for a shockwave or some other form of attack, but there was nothing to fear. "What did you just do?"

"Backup is required," the wolf answered. "So let us see how you handle both myself and a legion of my best subordinates!"

From the forest poured out a brigade of Vulcans and Wyvern, leaving Jenny to acknowledge that this A-Class monster was pulling out all the stops short of letting the true mastermind behind this plot to step forward.

"You're outnumbered now," the wolf hissed, "so I suggest you call off your wizard friends."

"Outnumbers, yes," Jenny replied simply. "But now outgunned!"

Light suddenly encircled Jenny, a magical glyph etching itself in the ground beneath her. Then it was gone as soon as it had appeared, leaving the mage to stand before the monstrous legion in another suit of mechanical armor, this one colored predominantly white with markings of blue and red throughout.

Yet it was not the armor that the wolf took true notice of. No, it was the silver arm cannons that Jenny held in both hands that truly left the monster nervous.

"Dreizwerg Soul!" Jenny shouted, her Machina Take Over complete. "And now, for my next trick!"

The cannon suddenly lit up with a golden power and Jenny swung her arms forward, the weapons locking together.

"Hopefully this will get your precious Master Gisbourne out here!"


Bambietta, Wendy and Carla stood atop yet another spiritual platform, their focus entirely on the battle of Clover's field once more. Both were content that the A-Class monsters were falling only a little slower than their servants, yet Wendy was readying herself to heal both Elfman and Totomaru upon their return.

Then they all quite caught off guard, a brilliant golden light streaking across the battlefield, the light encompassing a majority of the monsters on the field.

Bambietta stared in amazement before, the light fading and very little left on the battlefield save for the wizards and one monster that was as far away from the source of that attack as possible. "What the heck was that?"

"I think it was that Blue Pegasus lady," Wendy said, pointing towards the armored blonde. "Wow, she's so cool!"

Bambietta scowled slightly. Up until now she had been the sole object of Wendy's kind words. It was petty, it was stupid, but Bambietta knew very well she could be both of those things in spades.

"Cool, huh? Please. Fairy Tail's got a female S-Class wizard that would make Jenny looked like a B at best!"

Wendy looked at Bambietta with a sparkle in her eyes. "You're an S-Class wizard too?"

"No, I-" Bambietta glanced away, her cheeks reddening slightly before she looked back at Wendy with a stern expression. "That's Titania Erza I'm talking about."

Bambietta shrugged for a moment before continuing.

"But give me time, Wendy! I just can't wait to be S-Class! And then I'm going to be Guild Master someday! Believe it!"

Once more did Bambietta go flush, the Quincy unsure of what kind of proclamation she was even making. She mouthed to herself the words guild master without actually giving voice to it. That had never been a part of her plan. She just wanted to be S-Class, to be the best of the best in Fairy Tail. That was all. There was no way she wanted to deal with the all the paperwork and boredom that someone like Makarov was no doubt subjected to on a daily basis.

Bambietta shook her head and looked back at the battlefield, glancing slightly at Wendy with her eyes. "Want to see something me do something awesome?"

"Uhm, okay," was all Wendy said in response.

"Sweet!" Bambietta summoned her bow and began to look back towards the battlefield, an glowing arrow forming as she did so. She began to mutter under her breath then. "Please don't let me miss... Please don't let me miss..."


"That's just great," the bear monster said, realizing it was on its own now, the army it had been a part of the commanding force gone. "So me versus how many wizards?"

"It's over then," Levy said, panting slightly. "Why don't you just surrender?"

"Surrender? Surrender?" A laugh echoed forth from the bear's cavernous lungs and mouth. "Don't be foolish, you little cub! I may die in the end, but it was in the service of the great Master Gisbourne! And in the end he will destroy you all if I cannot!"

The bear suddenly lunged for Levy, taking the mage by surprise. Lucy and Liltotto could see what was happening, the both of preparing to do what they had to do to save a life.

"Taurus, take him down now!"

"Stupid bear, I'm the only one who's going to have a midnight snack around here."

Then the bear suddenly howled in pain, a blue arrow lodged within its right eye. It stumbled way from the frightened Levy, leaving both herself and Lucy to be confused. "What just happened?"

Liltotto, however, knew well the familiar source of power in the arrow. "Bambi."


"Head shot at thirty yards!" Bambietta shouted, letting her bow vanish as she smiled widely. "See, Wendy? I can be cool too!"

"Wow," was all Wendy could say, the mage honestly impressed as she caught sight of the faint blue glow of a dot over the bear in the distance. "I didn't think anybody could aim that well!"

"Was there every any doubt I could do it?" Bambietta asked, the Quincy trying to ignore her own past concerns. "And I managed to save Levy. Extra goodie-two-shoes for my karma score, right?"

"Huh?" Wendy asked, looking back at Bambietta.

"Nothing, nothing at all!" Bambietta grew seriously then, watching as Liltotto suddenly consumed the stunned bear. She could see both Levy and Lucy trying their best not to throw up in response. "Well, that isn't ever going to change I guess. Oh well. Now then..."

Bambietta reached out with her spiritual senses, wondering if at last the S-Class monster would show itself. Then, in just that moment, the Quincy felt a spark of energy come to life in the forest.

"Oh, that's not good."


"Forty points?" Gray shouted as he and Natsu glared at each other, fire and ice whipping out as their faces were very nearly touching as they continued their rivalry. "That's nonsense, man! You're silly cat was keeping score, so of course he'd make you the winner!"

"Well take me on a clothes stripping contest and you'll win no problem!" Natsu yelled back before backing off. "You know what? Fine. Be the winner if you want. I'm going to see how Lucy and Liltotto are doing. Consider this me giving you the cold shoulder!"

Natsu stormed off, Happy flying after him and leaving Gray to shake his head. "That moron."

"You are all morons if you ask me," a voice suddenly bellowed out from the forest. "Each and every one of you wretched humans who dares to take the land from my brethren are nothing but foolish trash in my eyes."

Gray and Elfman turned to face the forest, watching as a rather tall humanoid being emerged. It was far removed from the animal-like beasts, its appearance truly monstrous on all accounts. Its height was impressive despite its hunched over physique, the monster's head a good three feet above Elfman's own. Its body was taunt and defined, dark green skin appearing more like armor than anything else. Golden spikes protruded from its shoulders and down its arms, ending in massive talons of the same color. Its tail whipped about behind it, the massive girth it possessed bringing down several trees as the monster moved forward.

Yet despite all that it was the head of the creature that truly gave it the title of a monster. Twin sets of glowing red eyes peaked out from the overbearing forehead, curled horns erupting from the cranium as if they possessed no rhyme or reason. Then there was the mouth, home to twin rows of fanged teeth that belonged to something that truly desired the taste of another's flesh.

"So you must be the Master Gisbourne that the hawk was talking about," Gray said, the space around him growing cold as blades of ice began to form around his arms. "I got to say, you are one ugly guy, but you definitely look deserving of being called and S-Class monster."

"S-Class?" Elfman looked at the monster then. "So if I beat this thing in a real manly way I'll top Natsu's score?"

"You?" Gisbourne said, sparing Elfman a slight glance. "Defeat me? How presumptions of you, human."

"He's kind of well-spoken for being a big ugly monster," Gray mused quietly. "Can't say I saw that coming."

"Let me show you just how presumptuous I can be!" Elfman charged at Gisbourne, his right arm once more taking on the shape of a beast not far removed from the S-Class monsters one appearance.

"Ah, a Beast Take Over wizard," Gisbourne snarled. "How quaint."

Elfman's fist struck Gisbourne then, the monster doing nothing to defend itself. Its feet tore through an inch of the ground as it was pushed back.

However, that was all Elfman was able to manage.

"How feeble," Gisbourne said as his four eyes stared down the length of Elfman's arm, the mage's knuckles pressing against the beast's face with little to show for it. "Perhaps if you were willing to become a full beast you might stand a change, but as you are now? You're nothing to me."

Gisbourne simply swung out his right hand, the back of it smashing into Elfman with such force that the mage was sent flying to the side, his body limply bouncing across the field several times over before at last stopping at least.


Wendy cried out in horror, the young mage bringing both hands up to her mouth, her eyes shaking. "No..."

Bambietta stared down at the field, her spiritual senses catching a spark of life within Elfman despite what had just occurred. She reached down at placed a calming hand on the Sky Dragon Slayer's shoulder. "Don't worry, he's alive. He's just... hurt. But you can fix it."

"We have to get down there now!" Wendy all but shouted, surprising even Bambietta with the sudden forcefulness behind her voice.

"We can't," Bambietta said. "We were told by Jenny to stay here in case something gets into Clover."

"But you said you wanted to fight!" Wendy pleased. "And everything's gone except that monster! So we-"

"I do want to fight," Bambietta said, interrupting Wendy. "Believe me, that's all I want to do. It's all I can every do right. But I also know when I have to listen to what I've been told, for better or worse. Jenny wants us here to keep the town safe and to heal anyone brought back for care."

"But-"

"Just because all that's left of the legion of monsters on the field is that big ugly one," Bambietta interrupted again, "it doesn't mean he doesn't have any forces he could send here to Clover while everyone else is fighting him. So we wait, Wendy."

"But I should heal Elfman and-"

"And what will happen if you go down there now?" Bambietta asked. "That monster will see you heal someone and you'll be added to the top of his hit list. Jenny wants the wounded brought here for healing, so we will do what she says."

Wendy nodded her head, understanding what the grown up was saying. She knew that Bambietta had more years to her, more wisdom, but that did not make it truly easier for the Sky Dragon Slayer who simply wished to help those in need.

Little did she see the left hand that Bambietta kept out of sight within her cloak. It was a far cry from the gentle hand atop Wendy's shoulder. No, the left hand was balled into a shaking fist.


"Elfman!" Gray shouted before he turned on Gisbourne. "You!"

"Oh, is the ice mage going to try his hand next?" Gisbourne asked. "So be it."

"Ice Blade: Seven Slice Dance!" Gray charged , bringing the blade of ice frozen to his left elbow around, intent on following it up with the matching blade on his right hand. Yet much to Gray's dismay both blade shattered upon the Gisbourne's body, the creature completely unharmed. "What?"

Gisbourne's right hand reached out and clasped around Gray's face, holding the ice wizard tightly. The beast slammed him down to the ground then, letting go only to kick Gray in the torso hard enough to send him skidding across the ground. His body tore through grass and dirt, Gray clutching at his ribs as he gasped in pain.

"How disappointing," Gisbourne said as he looked from Elfman to Gray. "You wizards break far too easily."

"Is that a fact?"

Gisbourne turned to see a pink haired young man approaching, his hands lighting up with flames.

"I've heard of you at least," Gisbourne said. "Natsu Dragneel, the Salamander of Fairy Tail, the son of Igneel. This could be a rather interesting battle."

"You speak as if you will be defeated by a wizard of Fairy Tail," another voice called out, drawing Gisbourne's attention. He looked then and saw a man with black and white hair and dressed in red approaching, a sword at the ready.

"And just who are you supposed to be?"

Totomaru stopped dead in his tracks. "You're kidding, right? I am Totomaru of Phantom Lord! A member of the esteemed Element Four!"

"Charming titles," Gisbourne said, turning back to Natsu, "but a son of a dragon as renowned as Igneel interests me more."

Totomaru grit his teeth in frustration, his sword becoming consumed first by blue flames then purely red ones. "How dare you mock the guild that Master Jose has put his heart and soul into. How dare you ignore me for a member of Fairy Tail. I will-"

"You will do nothing but stand down," Jenny Realight said as she stepped past the shaking Totomaru.

"Yeah, that's right," Natsu shouted in glee. "This fight is all mine, so-"

"You will stand down as well, Salamander," Jenny interrupted. "I told you all that you were to avoid the S-Class monster if he was found and now he has been. I will be the one to face him. I will have no more injuries on my conscience. And I will not have anything else most troublesome to worry about."

"But-"

"What did I say, Natsu Dragneel?" Jenny said, glaring at the Dragon Slayer. "I want you and the rest of Fairy Tail to fall back and bring Elfman and Gray to Clover. You know why."

"And I will fight by your side then?" Totomaru asked, keeping his blade at the ready. "Two S-Class wizard will make short work of this-"

"You will fall back as well," Jenny said, looking at Totomaru. "I appreciate your offer, but you are already wounded. So go."

"But-"

"I said go."

Totomaru sheathed his sword in frustration and began to walk away then, leaving Natsu, Lucy and Levy to begin to walk the beaten Elfman and Gray away. Liltotto, however, stayed behind for a moment.

"For a leader," the Quincy began to say, "you're being both smart and stupid."

"Excuse me?" Jenny said, looking at the usually quiet Quincy.

"It's good to get them out of here when they're hurt," Liltotto continued, "but weren't you the one who was saying we should all work in at least teams of two a week ago? This seems awfully foolish."

"Oh right," Jenny replied. "Bambietta did say you were the smart one of her old guild. Listen, I'm the only S-Class wizard still in tip-top condition, so-"

"I left someone alone on a battlefield once before and it's been nothing but regrets since," Liltotto interrupted before walking away. "So don't go adding any more."

Jenny nodded to the departing Liltotto before turning back to Gisbourne. "And here I thought I was going to have to defend my allies from her just now, but aren't you just the most accommodating monster. I guess the world is full of surprises."

"Whether I kill them now or later, it doesn't matter." Gisbourne stood to his full height then, towering above Jenny. "You will not stop me killing all in Clover and reclaiming it for the sake of the forest and all those who call it home. We will have this world back in our possession when I am down."

"Fine aspirations," Jenny said, not feeling the faintest bit of fear as Gisbourne's shadow fell upon her, "but I'm just the tip of the iceberg, you know? So even if you beat me here, good luck fighting the entire Magic Council."

Gisbourne simply smile, his fangs beginning to bare. "I have my methods, loathe as I am to consider them. But as for now..."

Gisbourne suddenly whirled around, his tail striking Jenny and sending the armored mage sailing away. She gasped in pain but was otherwise unharmed, her magic shifting around her. "Apollyon Soul!"

Her mechanical shielding altered on the spot, her body taken over by another mechanized soul of sorts. The cannons she had used earlier would take time to recharge, leaving Jenny to rely instead on close quarters combat. Despite downgrade in armor, she knew it would be enough to finish things regardless. Her armored fingers dug into the ground then, slowing her movement until at last she came to a stop.

"Change all you want," Gisbourne shouted, appearing before Jenny and lashing out with a clawed hand, "it will make no difference!"

The attack struck and Jenny was thrown to the side, yet she never lost her footing. She lashed out in return with her right hand, striking Gisbourne with enough force that the massive brute of a monster was thrown to the side, losing his step in the process.

"Yes, this soul should be more than enough," Jenny said, rolling her fingers out from a fist. "So much for the S-Class monster."

"You little wretch," Gisbourne said, running a hand across his lower jaw to wipe away faint amounts of blue blood, "you will die by my hands no matter what it takes."

"Is that a fact?" Jenny asked. "And what makes you so sure?"

"Because I fight for a just cause beyond the ken of you humans," Gisbourne said, clasping his hands together. "Now behold the Rules of Nature!"

The ground around Jenny began to shake, leaving the mage of Blue Pegasus to leap away from Gisbourne with some level of concern. However it was not far enough, for around Jenny did limbs from trees begin to burst out from the ground, whole trunks soon following. She felt the solid oak bend, twist and contort in truly unnatural ways, winding around her arms and her legs and keep her locked in place as she found an entire forest beginning to bloom around her.

"You see now, don't you?" Gisbourne asked, the monster lumbering about between the newly birthed trees, his eyes glaring at the ensnared Jenny as his kept a close watch on her. "This magic, the Rules of Nature, will allow me to rebuild Clover and eventually the world in my image."

"That's what all this needless destruction you've caused was for? How absolutely pathetic."

"You dare judge me?" Gisbourne asked, the beast moving closer with each step through the newly born forest. "Fine, do what you feel is right in your final moments."

Gisbourne reached out and let a talon gently prop up Jenny's chin.

"But do understand," Gisbourne said, his face not inches away from Jenny's own, "I am going to disembowel you. Perhaps even skin you alive. And as I march into Clover with your remains, the will to fight possessed by your allies will fall to pieces."

Jenny raised an eyebrow at Gisbourne's seemingly endless confidence. "You talk too much, you know that?"

The metallic whip around Jenny suddenly came alive, energy lacing the segmented plates. Then, as if possessing a life of its own, the whip extended outwards, all the while gaining mass from the massive gauntlet that adorned Jenny's restrained arm. Then, quite suddenly, did the whip twist in midair, its jagged edges slashed against Gisbourne's upper body.

"What madness is this?" the beast asked as it leapt back.

"Didn't I say it already?" Jenny glared at Gisbourne, all the while her Apollyon Soul's serrated whip snaking through the air, slicing apart the branches that had taken her prisoner. "This soul should be more than enough to defeat you."

Jenny's right hand opened then, a cylinder shaped hilt slipping out of the gauntlet so that the wizard could wrap her fingers around it. She flicked her wrist then, a glowing burst of green magic extending outwards in the shape of a blade.

"A light show?" Gisbourne titled his head slightly. "This is the best you can do? Don't make me-"

The beast's boast was cut short then, a flash of emerald tearing across its chest and releasing into the air a splash of blue blood.

"You... how could you..." Gisbourne clutched at his torso with his left arm, his very life oozing from the wound that had been inflicted upon his very internal organs. "I... will not..."

Gisbourne's lumbering frame began to descend, the monster dropping to one knee as he lowered his horned head.

"This is not the end..." he gasped. "I will take back for the forest all that you humans have stolen..."

Jenny shook her head. "So you intend to kill for your desire? Then this is where your journey will have to end. I'm sorry."

The mage spun around then, the emerald blade of light cutting through Gisbourne's throat. The beast's eyes bulged, Gisbourne spitting out blood that soon joined matching liquid that spurt forth from his neck. Then he simply fell to his back, unmoving.

Jenny stared at the corpse with some level of disgust. She did not enjoy taking a life, even one as vengeful as Gisbourne's was, but she also knew that it had to be done in the end.

"I'm going to need a real vacation after this." Jenny closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. Then she opened them, growing cross as she looked down at her armor. It was coated in spot's by Gisbourne's blood. "Oh, ewww... Just freaking great!"

Jenny let her mechanical armor vanish, replaced instead by her lightly violet dress as she walked away from Gisbourne's remains.

"Getting those stains off is going to be such a pain..."

Yet as the wizard took her leave, Gisbourne slowly began to stir. The monster's heart was still, yet something else within its body was beginning to pulsate. Gisbourne's eyes opened then, yet no life was within the orbs. Despite that did the monster's talons suddenly flex, tearing into the ground.

Then a change began to overtake Gisbourne's corpse. Slowly, very slowly, a hole began to open in its chest.


Oh no! That cant be good! Whats going on now?!What new twist of mandess will the fairy tail guild deal with now? There's only one way to find out!

We have the other half of this arc written up, but we realized it was WAAAAY to long for just one Chapter, We will upload the other part in one week.

Also that fairy tail chapter, HOLY SHIT! Bleach has been awesome too though, Gerrard put up one hell of a fight. WAY better than Yammy EVER was.

Well, With all that said and done, please leave us some reviews. we REALLY like getting them, and they help me know when we're doing a good job or not. So please, if you really like this story, give us your thoughts on the story in the form of a review, as they help us want to do more chapters.