A/N: There's a reason why Aira keeps his hair long. And that reason will be revealed in the Avatar Arc :)

Episode 159.

Enjoy!

CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO: LUCY VERSUS FLARE

Mercurius...

"Did you watch the competition part?"

"Yes, on Lacrima Vision."

"The battle part is about to begin..."

"I'll observe that directly with my own eyes."

The man chuckled to himself. "It looks like I can expect an unusual harvest this year."

Domus Flau...

"The first match of the first day! From Fairy Tail A, Lucy Heartfilia!" Chapati announced. "Versus Flare Corona from Raven Tail!"

"Blondie..." Flare muttered.

"Lucy! Show her the results of your training!" Natsu cheered.

"If you win here, we can still go on!" Erza encouraged.

"Kick her ass!" Aira added.

"Raven Tail... They said they hurt Wendy 'by way of greeting'?! And in the competition, they prioritized interfering with Gray over winning! I'm angry..." Lucy clenched her jaw in anger. "Count on me. I swear I'll win!"

"I like that look." Lily commented.

"Lucy's really fired up..." Happy stated.

"It's because her opponent's from Ivan's stupid guild! Tear her to pieces!" Makarov exclaimed.

"What's wrong, First Master?" Romeo asked.

"I'm wondering what Raven Tail's after..." Mavis replied.

"It's gotta be making us look like imbeciles! They really know how to get under a guy's skin!" Makarov claimed.

"I hope that's all it is..." Mavis said.

"Apparently, the masters of these two guilds are father and son, Yajima-san!" Chapati said.

"True, but if they bear the insignia of different guilds, it doesn't matter if they're parent and child." Yajima stated.

"It's so dramatic! I'm getting the chills!" Jenny commented.

Mato stepped forward. "Both of you, come forward!" He said as Lucy and Flare did so. "Since the entire area will be your battlefield, only you two will be in here. Your time limit is 30 minutes."

"B-Blondie..." Flare said, tilting her head to the side.

"I'm not gonna lose!" Lucy claimed.

"During that time, if you knock out your opponent, you win. Alright, let the first match... begin!" Mato exclaimed as the sound of the gong was heard.

"Here I go!" Lucy announced, taking out a key. "Gate of the Golden Bull, I open thee! Taurus!"

"Mooore power!" Taurus shouted as he swung his axe in which Flare dodged his attack.

"Oh, my! Celestial Spirit Magic! And it's one of the 12 Zodiac Gates!" Chapati said.

"Gate of the Scorpion, I open thee! Scorpio!" Lucy shouted as Scorpio appeared.

"We are! Here I go!" Scorpio announced.

"Two Celestial Spirits at the same time?!" Bisca exclaimed.

"Wow! Since when has she been able to have two gates open simultaneously?!" Alzack questioned.

"Cool!" Asuka exclaimed.

"Sand Buster!" Scorpio shouted, throwing an attack at Flare's direction. Her hair caught on fire as she blocked the attack.

"Her hair got longer?!" Natsu exclaimed.

"She's guarding with it?!" Aira added on.

"Taurus! Use Scorpio's sand!" Lucy ordered.

"Moo! Perfect!" Taurus exclaimed as he began to gather the sand towards his axe. "Absorb!"

"Go, Taurus! We!" Scorpio cheered.

"Sandstorm Axe! Aldebaran!" Taurus shouted as sand covered the arena. The audience were shielding their eyes.

"The sand's in my eyes!" Jenny complained.

"This is incredible! Two gates open simultaneously is an amazing spectacle in itself, but a combination attack, too?!" Chapati said.

"That girl has improved so much, you couldn't even compare her with what she was like seven years ago!" Yajima stated.

"Good job, both of you!" Lucy complimented.

"We are!" Scorpio said as him and Taurus disappeared back into the celestial spirit world.

Flare was flying in the air. "Blondie!" She exclaimed in anger as her hair grew. "Hair Dog, Wolf Fang!"

"Gate of the Crab, I open thee!" Lucy began as a Magic Circle appeared in front of the wolf and Cancer appeared, cutting Flare's hair.

"Cancer!"

"My hair..." Flare mumbled to herself.

"Nice, Cancer!" Lucy complimented.

"When it comes to haircuts, leave it to me-ebi!" Cancer said before disappearing.

"You!" Flare screeched as she used her hair to pick Lucy up by her feet, swinging her around the arena.

"Lucy!" Her team shouted.

"Take that!" Flare shouted, finally releasing Lucy. "My red hair does exactly what I want it to..."

"Now that you mention it, my Fleuve d'Etoile also..." Lucy paused as she used her whip to grab onto Flare's wrist. "...does what I want it to!"

"What?!"

Both Lucy and Flare flew into the air. Soon enough, Flare's hair that was holding onto Lucy's ankles caught on fire as they were finally released.

"Oh, my! It's only the first match and it's a battle where the fighters barely have time to breathe! A showdown between father and son guilds! A battle between two women! And neither of them is backing down!" Chapati exclaimed.

"Although it looks like Fairy Tail is a little more dominant." Jenny commented as Flare grinned while Lucy winced in pain.

"Lu-chan!" Levy said.

"What the...?!" Droy said, eating a hamburger.

"Hey, look at Lucy's legs!" Jet pointed out.

"It's hot..." Lucy mumbled.

"Can't stand so easily, huh? My red hair hurt your legs." Flare said.

"That red hair..." Max trailed off.

"It must've been burning through when it had a hold on her!"

"Hang in there, Lucy!"

"Stand up!"

Lucy soon removed her ruined boots. "Dang it! I really liked these boots!" She complained.

"My burning hair... My red hair... That's all the damage it did?!" Flare thinks to herself. "Blondie..."

"I'd say she's off to a good start..." Eve commented.

"Yeah. She's doing great. Very impressive." Hibiki agreed. "You wouldn't think there was a seven-year period of nothing when she was sealed away on Tenroujima. We once fought alongside each other against the Six Generals, but its clear that the Magic Power she had seven years ago is nothing compared to what she has now."

"According to Ichiya-sama, all of their Magic Power has increased even more since the Zentopia affair." Eve chimed in.

"But the red-haired girl is no slouch either. I wonder how she'll attack next..." Hibiki said.

Flare soon screeched as her hair soon went underground. "W-What?! You're aiming for my legs again?!" Lucy questioned.

"Now she's barefoot. If that hair gets a hold of her again, there will be damage." Lily said.

"Be careful, Lucy!" Happy warned.

Lucy looked around cautiously. "Strange... this time, I'm not sensing anything... Where will she attack from?!" She thought, looking at Flare who had a dark shadow casted over her eyes.

Lucy looked towards her cheering guildmates. "What's she doin'?!" Natsu wondered.

"Go on! Keep attacking her! Take that Raven witch down a peg!"

"Calm down!"

Lucy widened her eyes as she spotted a tuff of red hair near Asuka. "Asuka-chan!" Lucy called out before Flare covered her mouth harshly and brought her down.

"Get a hold of yourself!" Nab shouted.

"Stand up dance!"

"I guess her legs were injured more than we thought?" Max guessed.

"Don't say anything. That's an order. If you disobey, you know what'll happen, right?" Flare asked. "Even a blonde bimbo like you can understand."

Lucy gritted her teeth. "That's low..." She thought as the audience cheered.

"Captain of the Guard, you've been watching the game from up here?" A royal soldier asked.

"She's ripening... Matured fruit is ripening. It may be accomplished this year. Just you wait... Lord Zeref."

Makarov suddenly hummed. "What's wrong, Master?" Romeo questioned.

"Maybe just my imagination? I felt something odd..." Makarov responded.

"Blame it on your age." Bisca said.

"Easy, easy..." Alzack added.

"Quiet, you!" Makarov scolded.

"Old mustache man!" Asuka said, making everyone laugh.

"No one notices. There's no way they will notice. If I feel like it, I could take down that brat in an instant..." Flare claimed.

"What kind of monster is she?!" Lucy wondered.

"The breathtaking battle part continues! It's Lucy Heartfilia versus Flare Corona! Come to think of it, Yajima-san, when you were in the Council, Fairy Tail enjoyed a very different repuation than they do today, correct?" Chapati asked.

Yajima nodded. "They were popular. They were top class when it came to raw power. Unfortunately, we had a heck of a time with all the problems they caused." He answered.

"Well, I bet a lot of people here don't know what they were like back then."

Flare laughed evilly. "How dirty can you get?!" Lucy questioned.

"Don't say anything. Don't move. Don't use any magic. You know what'll happen if you don't obey, right?" Flare asked as Lucy could only grit her teeth and Flare attacked her. "Blondie!"

"Did keeping two gates open at the same time backfire on her?" Jura wondered.

"Is her magic cupboard bare?" Sherria asked.

"She's not naked!" Toby exclaimed.

"That's not what she means." Yuka informed.

Flare attacked with her hair once more as Lucy just took the attacks. "Lucy! What's wrong?!" Erza asked.

"They were neck in neck just before!" Aira exclaimed as Lucy got swung around the arena again.

"Lucy, what about your Celestial Spirits?!" Max questioned.

"I can't watch! She's getting beaten to a pulp!"

"Endurance Dance!"

"Is she conserving magic? I don't get it, but at this rate..." Nab trailed off as Lucy crashed to the ground.

"What happened!?"

"She's suddenly stopped movin' around!"

"Get a grip, Blondie!"

"What in the world is going on?!" Chapati questioned. "What was a fierce battle just moments ago has turned into a one-sided beat down!"

"Hang in there!" Asuka shouted.

Flare's hair lit up again as she attacked Lucy. "Take that! And that!" Flare exclaimed as she laughed.

"Everyone... Wendy... Gray... I'm sorry..." Lucy thought. "I give up..."

Flare covered Lucy's mouth once more. "Lu-chan!" Levy shouted in concern.

"Maybe she's so hungry she can't move..." Droy guessed.

"Yeah, right!" Jet disagreed.

"Who told you it was okay to talk, Blondie?!" Flare asked as she tied up her arms and legs. "I'm not gonna let you surrender. I'm just getting started here playing with you. Understand? Don't say a word. However... I will allow screaming!"

Flare then laughed. "Now let's see... What shall I do to you first? Maybe I'll tear off your clothes in front of all these people... That would be funny, but I've just thought of an even better idea!" She exclaimed, showing the Raven Tail emblem. "I'll brand the insignia of Raven Tail onto your body! A brand that'll never fade away!"

She soon began moving the brand around. "Where would you like me to put it?" Flare questioned before spotting Lucy's pink Fairy Tail emblem. "I see! You want me to put it right over your Fairy Tail insignia, huh?"

"Please! Anything but that!" Lucy begged.

"I told you not to talk!" Flare ordered.

"Don't! Anywhere but there!" Lucy pleaded.

"Lucy's actin' kinda weird!" Aira noticed.

"Where's Natsu?!" Erza questioned, realizing the Fire Dragon Slayer disappeared.

"He was here a minute ago..." Aira replied.

Natsu was currently running, hoping he'd make it in time. "I've got good ears! I know what I heard!" He thought.

The Raven Tail insignia was getting closer as Natsu kept running through the crowd of people. He eventually made it to the Fairy Tail stands, grabbing onto the piece of Flare's hair, burning it to ashes.

"Asuka-chan, huh?!" Natsu asked himself as Bisca held Asuka close.

"Natsu!" Happy shouted.

"What's that doing here?!" Makarov questioned.

"What?!" Flare said.

"Lucy! Now!" Natsu shouted at her.

"Thank you, Natsu!" Lucy thanked him, taking out a key. "Gemini!"

Gemini soon appeared, releasing Lucy from Flare's grip on her. "Do that thing!" Lucy said.

"We haven't practiced enough!"

"We don't know if we can do it or not!"

"Anyway, turn into me!" Lucy ordered.

"Roger!"

Gemini soon turned into Lucy who was just in a towel. "What are you dressed like that for?!" Lucy scolded.

"It's not our fault! This is what you had on when we copied you!" Gemini claimed.

All of the guys in the audience has hearts in their eyes. "I see... Yesterday, right after I got out of the tub..." Lucy face palmed as Gemini looked at her breasts, causing her to cover herself. "Don't look!"

"Blondie!" Flare exclaimed.

"Wouldn't that Gemini be a powerhouse if it turned into Erza or Laxus?" Jet asked.

"It can't. I'm told it can only copy someone with about the same level of magic as its owner, Lu-chan." Levy explained.

"I get it. So it'd be impossible to copy Master or the First Master..." Droy said.

"But it'd probably be able to copy the Fourth Master, right?" Wakaba teased, looking at Macao.

"Stow it!" Macao shouted. "How different are you?!"

"Well, well! This is a nice happening!" Chapati exclaimed as Yajima agreed.

"She does have curves in all the right places..." Jenny spoke.

Mavis touched her own chest as she got gloomy. "All the right places..." She muttered.

"Anyway, what's she planning to do with two of herself?!" Max wondered.

'B-Bath towel!' Warren communicated in his head.

"Don't share what's on your mind right now!"

"E-Excited Dance!"

"That's annoying! Quit your dancing!" Nab scolded. "In fact, cheer Lucy on properly!"

"There are now two Lucy Heartfilias! And one of them is wearing a bath towel!" Chapati said.

"Those are the Twins, Gemini, of the Twelve Zodiac Celestial Spirits." Yajima explained as Gemini and Lucy joined hands.

Sound out the heavens, open the heavens...

Stars across the universe,

show yourselves to me with all your brilliance!

"That magic... I don't believe it!" Hibiki exclaimed.

"I see... She made two of herself to increase her magic power." Eve said.

"Amazing... So she learned the ultimate magic of the stars!" Hibiki stated.

With the magic power that I have at the moment,

I can't produce the power that I did then, even with two of me...

Tetrabiblos, I am the ruler of the stars... My aspect is perfection.

...but I'll show you!

"W-What is this?!" Flare exclaimed.

"Open thy savage gate! This is Fairy Tail! This is... one stroke that the pride of the guild is riding on!"

88 stars of the heavens...

Open!

Stars soon filled the arena. "The sky filled with stars?!" Flare questioned. "What is this?!"

"Urano Metria!"

Light started flying towards the sky as the audience stared in shock. When the light finally dimmed, Flare was left unharmed as the audience was in shock.

"What the...?"

"What went wrong?"

"W-What?" Happy said in confusion.

"What's going on?" Cain wondered.

"Gemini's gone, too." Lily pointed out.

Lucy stumbled a bit. "It all disappeared...?" She questioned more to herself as Flare looked back at the Raven Tail stands.

"Obra!" Flare thought as Obra just nodded. "It was you, wasn't it?!"

Lucy headed for the ground. "I don't believe it... Why...?" She asked herself.

"What happened?!" Erza questioned.

"Her magic disappeared?!" Aira also asked.

"Lucy seemed to be casting a major spell, but her magic failed?!" Chapati said with uncertainty. "Yajima-san, what do you think?"

Chapati flinched as Yajima had a dark look. "Y-Yajima-san!" He exclaimed. Lucy soon collapsed to the ground.

"Oh, my! Lucy is down for the count! The match is over! The winner is Raven Tail's Flare Corona!" Chapati announced.

The audience soon cheered. "I win. That's what you get, Blondie! You're pathetic! And ugly! And a loser!" Flare laughed.

"Lucy seemed to be casting a major spell, but her magic failed?!" Chapati said with uncertainty. "Yajima-san, what do you think?"

Chapati flinched as Yajima had a dark look. "Y-Yajima-san!" He exclaimed. Lucy soon collapsed to the ground.

"Oh, my! Lucy is down for the count! The match is over! The winner is Raven Tail's Flare Corona!" Chapati announced.

The audience soon cheered, causing Fairy Tail Team A to grit their teeth. "Something's fishy about this!" Happy commented.

"I didn't see that redhead do anything to make the magic disappear..." Boris pointed out.

"She had help from outside the ring." Mavis stated.

"Those jerks cheat!" Romeo said.

"Ivan! Are you lookin' for a match outside the arena?!" Makarov questioned.

"I win. That's what you get, Blondie! You're pathetic! And ugly! And a loser!" Flare laughed.

"What the hell was that, a magic misfire?!"

"Lame!"

"So now Raven Tail has 18 points. Fairy Tail... still has zero points!"

"Terrible. If nobody sees it, it's not a breach of the rules." Jura commented. "Nothing could be more cowardly than what they did!"

"I feel kind of sorry for her..." Eve said.

"But they only won by using that kind of foul play as back-up. Still..." Hibiki trailed off.

"It was a good magic battle!" Mato announced.

Lucy started sobbing while Natsu went out to her, reassuring her.

A/N: Another chapter is finished!

Thanks for reading!

~ Kaleb.