(Edited 28/03/24)
I do not own Fairy Tail Hiro Mashima does.
The Grand Magic Games Day Two
***POTD***
"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome back for Day Two of the Grand Magic Games! I'm your host, Chapati Lola, and I'm here as always with Mister Yajima!"
"That's right Chapati, and we're looking at some amazing match-ups today! If yesterday's Anarchy Pit was anything to go by, we're looking at some boiling hot match-ups today!"
"That we are Mister Yajima! For those who missed it, yesterday saw Sabertooth's Orga Nanagear scrape in first place, snatching it from the jaws of our runners up, Fairy Tail Team B and their Dragon Slayer, Gajeel Redfox!"
"Indeed. It was a close match-up for sure Chapati, but from here the action is only set to increase as we begin the combat rounds!"
"You heard it from the man himself folks, so don't take your eyes off of the action, because today is looking to be quite the thriller!"
"And let's not forget that today we have another special guest up here in the commentator's box with us. From Sorcerer Weekly, we have one of their lead publicists, Jason, who was kind enough to come and join us today."
"Thank you Mister Yajima, I'm glad to be here! Man, these games are gonna be so damn COOOOOL!"
"Er… right. Well, in any event, for those wondering what the scoreboard is looking like right now, here it is!"
1st Place – Sabertooth – 50 Points
2nd Place – Fairy Tail Team B – 30 Points
3rd Place – Highfather – 10 Points
4th Place – Lamia Scale – 0 Points
5th Place – Mermaid Heel – 0 Points
6th Place – Fairy Tail Team A – 0 Points
7th Place – Raven Tail – 0 Points
8th Place – Blue Pegasus – 0 Points
"Now remember everyone, this is only the beginning of the second day, and anything could happen from here on out! Any one of these worthy teams could rise to the top, fifty points is hardly a lead when faced with the combat rounds, so Sabertooth will want to watch their six!"
"That's right Chapati. And today, right off the bat, we have a rather interesting match lined up for you all. From Team Sabertooth, we have Yukino Agria versus Team Mermaid Heel's Kagura Mikazuchi!"
The crowd roared as the two Mages made their way down into the arena.
"This is going to be an interesting match-up for sure folks. This is Yukino's first time competing in the games, unlike Kagura, who nearly defeated the member she's filling in for last year!"
"That's right Chapati. Yukino is going to have her work cut out for her against Kagura. But remember, there's always the chance for an upset!"
***POTD***
As the crowd cheered, Natsu's focus was entirely locked onto Kagura. His arms were crossed, eyes narrowed as he studied the woman, details that weren't missed by the rest of the two Fairy Tail teams.
"You seem to be looking at Kagura an awful lot Natsu," Erza pointed out. "Is something wrong?"
"You haven't noticed it yet Erza," Natsu replied quietly, motioning for the Requip Mage to return her focus to Kagura.
"Noticed what?"
"Look at her sword Erza? You see the way its wrapped, that's how you get it right out of the smith," Elise pointed out, as all the Fairy Tail Mage's eyes widened considerably. "But the sheath has scuff marks all over it, showing its age…"
"Wait, you're right!"
"Not only that," Laxus chimed in, leaning against the railing. "Its subtle, but I reckon Natsu sensed it first…"
"Sensed what Laxus," Freed asked, clearly out of the loop along with several of the others.
"Her power," Natsu muttered, silencing the group. "Kiara once told me about a girl from Mermaid Heel who was destined to become one of the stronger S Class Mages in the country. This is her, without a doubt, I can faintly sense her Magical Power, even though she's expertly suppressing it."
"How strong are we talking?"
"I think we're about to find out," Elise cut in, as all eyes turned toward the arena, as the two Mages stood opposite one another.
Standing at the northern end, was a fair skinned, well endowed young woman with medium length white hair and brown eyes. She wore a white cloak with feathery protrusions at the bottom, with a form fitting white dress that only reached mid-thigh, black thigh high stockings and a pair of white high heels.
A Mage Of The Sabertooth Guild
Sub-Member Of Team Sabertooth
One Of The Last Celestial Spirit Mages
The Twinkling Star Of Sabertooth
Yukino Agria
Across from Yukino was her opponent, a young, busty young woman with long straight black hair done in a princess style, complete with a white ribbon tied to a headband atop her head, the ribbon bearing the outline of a lotus embedded across its surface.
She looked like she was in the military, dressed in a long white officer coat that rested upon her shoulders. The coat had numerous gold trimmings across it with the Mermaid Heel Guild Mark emblazoned into the back.
Beneath the coat, she wore an untucked black dress shirt with all the buttons done up save for the top three, exposing slight cleavage. Instead of pants, she wore a pair of black, form fitting tights, along with a pair of white knee-high boots that matched her coat. Her arms were likewise completely covered in elbow length gloves with the same matching golden trimmings as the coat.
At her hip, partially obscured by the coat, was a nodachi, her right hand gently resting on the hilt as she remained in a relaxed stance. The hilt was still wrapped in dark, worn bandages, complete with a paper seal with the faded kanji 'Hakai' on it.
S Class Mage Of The Mermaid Heel Guild
Captain Of Team Mermaid Heel
Contender For The Greatest Swordsman On Ishgar
Grand Wizard
The White Lotus
Kagura Mikazuchi
"You should surrender now, since I don't want to fight you if I don't need to. My power is far above yours, Kagura," Yukino smirked, eliciting a bored shrug from Kagura in response.
"I thank you for your concern, but that will not be happening. I have come to represent my Guild in the Grand Magic Games, to prove the strength of both myself, and Mermaid Heel. To surrender would bring shame and embarrassment upon not just myself, but my friends within Mermaid Heel, and my mentor and our new Guild Master. Besides, you and I have never fought before, so you don't truly know unless we fight if you are superior or not?"
"Then how about we make a bet to make things more interesting?"
"Sorry, but I don't make casual bets," Kagura replied dismissively, eliciting an amused smirk from Yukino.
"Then how about a serious one? Whoever wins shall hold the others life in their hands?"
"How foolish. But, if that is truly what you wish, then so be it. I will accept that bet," Kagura replied, as the crowd cheered in approval.
"Alright folks, it looks like its time! Let the battle begin!"
"Let us see… just how strong you truly are, Kagura," Yukino muttered, as she slowly drew a golden key from in-between her cleavage.
***POTD***
Up in the stands, there were many older and veteran Mages alike whose eyes widened considerably at that. Even Natsu had dropped his calm demeanor, now moving to stand as close to the arena as possible.
"That can't be…!?"
"Is that what I think it is," Elise gasped, equally shocked, as everyone else, save for one looked at them in confusion.
"What's wrong," Erza asked, just as clueless as the rest.
"That key, that's one of the lost Zodiac Twelve Celestial Spirit Keys," Natsu replied, as several others seemed to understand now what all the fuss was about. "How the fuck did she get that!?"
"I don't get it, what's a Celestial Spirit," Wendy asked curiously, as Natsu pointed to the key Yukino had raised high above her head.
"To give you the short version, there is a realm where these spirits reside Wendy, and they vary wildly in power and appearance. Some can be a harmless snowman, to a clock, or a fearsome beast. This realm is known as the Celestial Spirit World, and it's a place that no Human has ever set foot in, at least, not in recorded history. The only way to summon a being from the Celestial Spirit World, is through the use of a Gate Key, which come in either Silver or Gold."
"Well that's a Gold Key, but what do the Silver ones do?"
"The spirits summoned by the Silver Keys are, what I suppose you would call, the commoners of the realm. You know, like a dog or something? The Gold Keys are special however, since there are only twelve of them in the entire world-."
"That isn't quite accurate I'm afraid," a new voice chimed in, as someone literally popped into existence behind Gajeel, startling the Dragon Slayer.
"Y-You!? What the Hell are YOU doin here!?"
"Hello again Gajeel, and to all of you members of Fairy Tail as well," the newcomer smiled. "My apologies for dropping in out of the blue, but I felt it only fair to explain things to you all."
Standing before the group, even taller than Natsu, was a goat-like humanoid wearing a butler's attire. His right hand was crossed over his chest as he bowed slightly to the group.
One Of The Zodiac Twelve
A Former Captive Of Grimoire Heart
The Goat
Capricorn
"I thought you said you were supposed to be in the Spirit World, that being stuck on Earthland for so long was a mistake," Gajeel asked the giant goat, who merely chuckled in response.
"It was a mistake, but for vastly different reasons than what you're thinking, Gajeel. You saved me from Zoldeo's possession by defeating him, allowing me to return to the Celestial Spirit World."
"That's great and all, but why'd you show up now?"
"I believed it was only fair to explain the truth regarding the Zodiac Keys and their absence, at least, in part. You see, there was an incident many centuries ago that forced we Zodiacs to retreat back to the Celestial Spirit World, taking our keys with us."
"If that's true, then how did Zoldeo manage to possess you?"
"Simple. He abused a clause built within the Silver Keys to force my manifestation."
"What clause is that," Natsu asked, clearly interested in the topic.
"If a wielder of a Silver Key actively abuses the Celestial Spirit, one of the Zodiac Twelve can opt to manifest in their stead upon the next opening of the gate. I do not think it takes a genius level intellect to understand why?"
"No," Natsu nodded stiffly. "So, Zoldeo used this against you?"
"He did. Because of this, no other Zodiac manifested after me to try and stop him. However, now that I'm free, all the Zodiac Twelve are fully within the Celestial Spirit Realm, along with our keys."
"Wait a sec, how does that work? That Yukino chick has one right there," Gajeel pointed out, as Capricorn turned to face the arena.
"She does indeed… Ophiuchus, the Thirteenth Zodiac."
"Wait, that story is real," Natsu asked, eyes wide. "Does that mean-?"
"It does indeed. Unlike the Twelve, Ophiuchus refused the call to return to defend the Celestial Spirit Realm, allowing her key to remain within this realm…"
"Which is how Yukino has the key," Natsu mused.
"Indeed. It is rather curious though that Ophiuchus would opt to contract with someone though…"
"Why is that," Natsu asked, as Capricorn's body began to turn a bright golden color. "Hey, uh-?"
"I must return, I manifested her under my own power," the Celestial Spirit replied quickly. "If Ophiuchus is here, there must be danger on the horizon. Not from her, but from another source-!"
The Celestial Spirit vanished, surprising the group, as they all felt a surge of Magical Power from Yukino, all eyes shifting back toward the arena.
***POTD***
"Prepare yourself Kagura, for a kind of Magic not felt upon Earthland for almost eight hundred years! Open: Gate Of The Snake Charmer – Ophiuchus!"
An immense Magical Power slammed down upon not just Domus Flau, but the entirety of Crocus. The skies darkened, thick black clouds rolling in as thunder roared and lightning crackled.
From within the black clouds, a massive snake-like creature slithered forth, its head alone larger than a train car, with its body well over fifty feet in length. The massive entity loomed over Domus Flau, the civilians in the arena screaming in fear as Yukino held the key high, its golden form bubbling before shifting toward a Pitch-Black coloration.
"Behold, the might of Ophiuchus, the forbidden Thirteenth Zodiac," Yukino declared proudly. "Your life shall be mine, Kagura!"
Zodiac Ophiuchus (Celestial Spirit Realm Link Active + Summoner Limitation) 2.72 Million MPI
"So, it seems that you made our bet backed by legitimate power," Kagura mused, staring up at the massive serpent. "Yes, I daresay that this being would crush many of the competition here today…"
Suddenly, everyone felt it, as a dark purple Aura exploded out from Kagura's form, the Mage bringing her blade to bear before the beast, scabbard included.
"What is this-!?"
"I will not submit to you, Yukino. I have trained far too hard to lose, even to a Zodiac," Kagura continued. "Let me show you the gap between us, Yukino!"
Yukino was shocked as Kagura continued to power up, the very arena feeling like an oppressive weight had slammed down upon it. Ophiuchus seemed unaffected, but its eyes remained firmly locked onto Kagura.
"Feel the might of my blade, Archenemy, Celestial Spirit!"
Kagura Mikazuchi (Archenemy Sealed + Greatly Suppressed) – 2.9 Million MPI
In an instant, Kagura vanished, seemingly disappearing out of the arena. It wasn't until several spectators noticed her position, that the streaming Lacrima could even locate her.
Now standing atop the roof of the Colosseum, Kagura was crouched down, eyes closed, seemingly waiting for something.
"Style Of The Undrawn Long Sword: Slashing Form – Rosen Thorne!"
The entire arena was rendered speechless, as Ophiuchus' form was sliced and diced so expertly, it looked like Kagura had made sushi out of it. Yukino couldn't even process what she had just seen, even as Kagura reappeared before her in an instant, the scabbard of Archenemy pressed up against her neck.
"Your life is mine now, Yukino Agria," the Mermaid Heel Mage whispered, as a sudden pressure shot through the Sabertooth Mage, blasting her off into the back wall, where she remained, unconscious.
Kagura then walked away, not even bothering to look at Yukino's form, even as the officials moved in to get her out of the wall. The crowd remained completely silent for her entire walk back to her team, not having expected such a one-sided massacre.
***POTD***
"Uh… I suppose that's that folks? Mermaid Heel's Kagura absolutely demolishes Sabertooth's Yukino…"
"Indeed Chapati. I don't think anyone saw that coming, especially not after Yukino summoned one of the Zodiac Celestial Spirits…"
It was obvious that everyone was still recovering from what they'd just seen, as the next match took fifteen minutes to even announce. Once Chapati and Yajima pulled themselves together, they finally got around to announcing it.
"Well Ladies and Gentlemen, I think its about time we moved on, don't you agree Mister Yajima?"
"That's right Chapati. I think we can all agree that the last match threw all of us for a loop, but this next one might just be what we need to come back down to Earthland? From Team Highfather, we have the lovely Miss Verity Parkinson. And, from Team Fairy Tail B, we have Elise Faulkner!"
The crowd cheered as the two competitors began to make their way down toward the arena. However, Elise was momentarily stopped by Natsu.
"Be careful down there Elise, you saw what that Soru guy was capable of. This one seems even more dangerous than him…"
"Yeah, I understand. Though, it's not like she'll kill me or anything, there are too many people watching. But I understand Natsu, I'll be careful," Elise replied as she continued to make her way down to the arena.
As the pair descended, Natsu could overhear several other notable Mages discussing the pair, as he listened in on their chatter.
"-I haven't seen her in action in a long time? And, if memory serves me, she was a force even back then," Jura said to Lyon, who nodded in agreement.
"That Fairy is gonna get washed," Sting smirked. "She couldn't even hack it as a Council grunt, let alone a Guild Mage!"
"Elise Faulkner… She is strong, I can sense it," Kagura muttered to her teammates, who all immediately agreed with her assessment, knowing it to be factual.
Returning his attention to the arena proper, Natsu's gaze fell onto the Highfather Mage, wondering just what he was going to see from this one…
***POTD***
Back in the arena, Elise slowly walked toward the indicated spot for the match to begin. As she walked, she eyed her opponent cautiously.
'Something isn't right about this one…'
Her foe had long silky black hair that had been done up into a ponytail, her fringe swept back to give off a rather aristocratic look. Her eyes were a deep purple, and slightly slanted. Her skin was a sun-tinged yellow coloration, a rarity in Fiore.
She wore a black, skintight bodysuit with light red metal plate armor covering the majority of her body. The insignia of the Highfather Guild was emblazoned on the breastplate, as well as on the hilt of the twin wakizashi she had sheathed on both hips.
S Class Mage Of The Highfather Guild
A Member Of Team Highfather
The Scarlet Samurai
Verity Parkinson
In an instant, Elise's form shifted, as she donned her Demigod Armor, her Ebony Sword manifesting in her right hand. Verity simply smiled, drawing her own blades as the pair stepped up to one another.
"Elise Faulkner, Fairy Tail's War God Slayer. Were you aware that your current underground bounty is nine hundred and fifty million Jewel," Verity asked casually. "Only alive too."
"I figured I had a bounty, just not that high," Elise replied with a shrug. "Why are you telling me that though?"
"I figured you ought to know," Verity smiled in response.
Elise smiled back, though it was clearly forced, as she struggled to hold her gaze onto her opponent.
'Why am I feeling so uncomfortable…? Her eyes, they're so cold, even though she's smiling!?'
"I-I see," Elise eventually responded. "I assume you have some contacts within the Dark Guild Sector?"
"Correct. We do have our contacts, strictly for legal business though, so you can rest easy."
"I wasn't worried," Elise replied, still feeling somewhat off about the girl, her senses refusing to see her as anything other than an enemy.
'Why do I feel like… I want to kill this woman,' Elise thought to herself as Chapati's voice echoed in the background, and she felt her body begin to move.
"Let the match begin!"
***POTD***
From the moment Chapati spoke, the crowd roared in excitement, only for it to die down quickly. This was followed up by whispers, as the crowd became rather confused.
"What's going on? Why aren't they doing anything," Wendy asked curiously, looking up to Natsu for an explanation, her eyes widening at his shocked expression. "What's wrong Natsu?"
"Such power… Just who the Hell are these Highfather people!?"
"What are you talking about Natsu, both Elise and that Verity chick are just standing there," Gray asked in response, only for Laxus to shake his head.
"You've got no fucking idea Gray," the Dragon Slayer muttered, clearly just as shocked as Natsu. "This is crazy…"
"What are the two of you on about," Erza asked, looking to Mira who seemed likewise shaken, though hers was clearly laced with some skepticism.
"My Take Overs can see it, but I can't," the white-haired Mage said, as she eyed the stagnant battlefield closely. "Wait…"
"They're fighting at the speed of light," Natsu finally explained, as both Fairy Tail teams, bar Laxus, recoiled in shock. "I'm not surprised you guys can't perceive it, but believe me, this Verity chick is giving Elise a run for her money."
"They're fighting… at the speed of light," Gray spluttered, shaking his head. "There's no way…?"
"Don't believe me? Look at the walls and ground of the arena, and you'll understand," Natsu replied, as everyone did as he instructed.
To their surprise, the entire circular ring was completely covered in numerous gashes, the dirt of the arena in a similar position. They could perceive them appearing if they focused on one spot, otherwise, they missed it entirely.
The other Guilds were in similar states of shock, with only a select few of their Mages even capable of perceiving the fight down below. Even some of the Guild Masters couldn't perceive it, a testament to the power of the new generation.
Jura Neekis sported a wide grin, gripping the edge of their booth so hard he broke it from sheer excitement. He knew that if Elise Faulkner was this powerful, then Natsu would have far exceeded her level of power.
"Jura," Lyon asked, unsure if the man was alright.
"I'm truly glad I accepted the invitation to join the Grand Magic Games this year Lyon… I haven't had a chance to see so many powerful potential opponents since back then!"
"The Nirvana Incident?"
Lyon didn't receive a response, as Jura continued to watch the fight in an almost giddy manner. So excited he was that he occasionally leaked slivers of his power, frightening those nearby accidentally.
Over in the Mermaid Heel booth, Kagura sported a gentle smile as she watched the battle. Behind her, Kiara grinned, placing a hand on Kagura's shoulder.
"You love to see it, huh Kagura?"
"I do Kiara…"
"Are you two feeling alright," Risley asked, unsure what the pair were talking about. "They're just standing there?"
"Fights like these are just so rare," Kagura continued, as she looked up toward the skies for a moment. "In this tournament, there are countless others with strength to match or even surpass my own…"
"Kagura…?"
"Are you watching, Big Brother," the powerful Mermaid Heel Mage asked, as Kiara gently pat her shoulder.
"I bet he is, the big goof!"
"All this power, I'm growing excited… I'm going to make him even more proud!"
"That's the spirit Kagura," Kiara grinned. "Fuck em all up! AHAHAHAHAHA!"
Meanwhile, over in the Sabertooth booth, the Twin Dragons, Rufus and Orga all remained smug, still believing themselves to be the strongest in Fiore, as a fierce battle raged down below them.
***POTD***
Down in the arena, everything was moving like a blue for Elise. Her movements felt the same as normal, but she knew just how fast she was going, and what that truly meant for the battle to come.
'The speed we're moving at now… Highfather really are trouble if their Mages are all strong like this,' Elise huffed, dodging twelve rapid sword attacks, only to be nicked on the thirteenth.
Her God Slayer regenerative ability instantly healed the wound, allowing her to immediately go on the offensive, as she charged toward the Highfather Mage yet again.
Bringing her blade out to the far right, Elise slashed upward, with Verity sidestepping the attack. Left. Right. Spin. Block. Up and Down. Elise had the pattern down like clockwork, studying Verity's movements as they fought, watching every minute detail from her footwork, to her deft fingerwork.
Leaping backward, Elise gripped her blade with both hands, determined to try something. Shooting forward, her blade trembled from the power being put into her next attack, something Verity clearly noticed.
"War God's Arcanum!"
Ceasing her sprint, Elise allowed herself to skid along the sandy floor, beginning to fire off a multitude of aerial slash attacks in Verity's direction. Slashing her blade Right, Left, Forty-Five Degrees, Down, Down and finally upward.
These strikes were calculated solely based off of the movements she'd seen Verity perform earlier. Without the eyes given to her from the God's Aura, she lacked the Precognition to predict where the Highfather Mage would be ahead of time, but she would make do.
To her surprise, Verity immediately altered her movement strategy, now expertly weaving through the barrage of aerial slash attacks, as they tore through the arena wall behind her. The Highfather Mage smirked, vanished, then a loud clang echoed across the area, as she appeared above Elise, their blades crossing hard enough to shake the entire arena.
This was the moment the rest of those who hadn't been able to observe the fight, were thrown for a loop. To them, it appeared as if the pair had teleported, and the arena suddenly suffered significant damage, the pair now locking blades at the center of the ring.
Elise Faulkner (PTS + God's Aura Inactive + Suppressed) – 4.1 Million MPI
Verity Parkinson (Suppressed) – 4.5 Million MPI
'Damn it,' Elise hissed internally, gritting her teeth as she felt the raw power behind Verity's blades. Mother told me not to use God's Aura openly during the tournament, but these Highfather Mages…'
"You're a strong one, Elise, strong indeed," Verity grunted, as they continued to push against one another. "If we continue to fight, we could very well destroy this place…"
'She's right, she knows I'm holding back, just like she's holding back…'
"What do you say we agree to call it a draw?"
Now THAT surprised her, as she felt the strength behind Verity's blades lessen just enough for her to get the hint that she was being legitimate in her suggestion. Doing the same, albeit cautiously, the pair pushed back, separating from their clash.
"I have no desire to fight an endless battle here, in a place where we could end up killing the citizens. You know this to be true, Elise."
Elise frowned, looking behind Verity at the wall her attack had blasted cleanly through. Sighing, she looked back toward the Highfather Mage, once again, getting that feeling in her gut that she should try to kill her right now…
"Fine, I'll agree to a draw."
Verity smiled once again, which made Elise's skin crawl, as the horn sounded, signalling the conclusion of their match. Making her way back up to the Fairy Tail booth, she was greeted by the others, noticing that Natsu had vanished.
Looking about, she noticed the vague outline of someone who looked identical to Mystogan standing atop one of the various pillars that loomed over Domus Flau. Realizing that Jellal must have somehow garnered his attention, she knew she'd have to wait to discuss her battle with the Highfather Mage with Natsu.
Ordinarily, she'd freely discuss it with the others. But this time, something about Verity Parkinson had alarm bells ringing in her head.
The way she felt dealing with her, she had a sneaking suspicion Natsu felt the same about them. And, she was beginning to think she understood why…
***POTD***
Natsu sighed as he made his way through the Crocus Slums, into the run-down outskirts of the city where he knew their hideout was located. He was joined by Jellal about half way, the pair walking inside without a word.
Upon entering, he found Ultear and Meredy, both girls looking extremely tired.
"Stakeout?"
"Stakeout," Ultear repeated with a stiff nod, sipping on some coffee. "For a time, we thought it was worthless. That was until we saw two hooded figures approach the palace around two hours ago."
"We discreetly followed them and they're definitely up to no good Natsu," Meredy chimed in with a deep yawn. "They spent around two hours probing the palace for any potential entry points before leaving."
"That proves that something sinister is going to go down," Natsu hummed in reply, taking a seat. "Good work you two. I think you should both get some sleep though?"
"Natsu's right, I'll take tonight's patrol myself," Jellal agreed. "You both can take tomorrow's shift."
"If you're sure you can handle it Jellal," Ultear yawned, nodding gently.
"Hopefully I can catch them doing something that will give us something concrete to work with," Jellal continued, turning to face Natsu. "So far, they're just probing, but they'll do something eventually…"
"Just be careful Jellal, Alvarez Mages are always a pain to deal with in groups."
"I'll be careful Natsu, there's no need to worry," Jellal replied with a curt nod.
"Was that everything guys?"
"Well, there is one other thing," Ultear replied, seemingly waking up a bit more, a slight frown overcoming her features.
"What is it?"
"Keep an eye on that Yukino girl tonight. It's nothing bad, I just noticed something rather … unpleasant, earlier."
"Define unpleasant?"
"I don't really think its for me to say, just trust me on this."
"Okay… I'll keep an eye out for her," Natsu replied slowly.
"Thank you."
"I'd better head back, an important match is about to start and I'd like to be there for it," Natsu said, as he left the hideout, quickly making his way back to Domus Flau.
***POTD***
"And with that, Team Lamia Scale's Toby has lost to Raven Tail's Kurohebi, bringing us to today's final match!"
"That's right Chapati. And I must say I'm a bit surprised at the competitors for this one, but the decision has been made."
"That's right Mister Yajima! On one side, we have none other, than the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth!"
The crowd roared as the two Dragon Slayers took to the field, the excitement generated by both of them going down at once palpable.
"And on the other side, just one competitor. That's right Ladies and Gentlemen, we've got ourselves a little bit of a grudge match."
"Right you are Mister Yajima! Fairy Tail's Oberon, the King of the Fairies, Natsu Dragneel, has issued a severe insult against the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth! Not only did he laugh when asked if he would face them, he told tournament officials to put his APPRENTICE out there to face them by herself!"
"That's right Chapati, and all of Sabertooth is feeling the disrespect right now. Just look at their Guild Members…"
The entire Guild of Sabertooth scowled over at the Fairy Tail Mages, who were all paling rapidly as they realized what was about to go down. One scarlet haired Mage was doing the opposite of paling though, looking like she was about to explode.
"Taking on the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth alone, is none other than Fairy Tail Team A's very own Wendy Marvell!"
The hype the crowd had died almost immediately, morphing straight into a silent shock. All eyes moved toward Wendy, who confidently marched down to the arena, only for a scarlet blur to land directly in front of her.
"No Wendy, you're not doing this!"
Wendy paused, looking up at the clearly pissed off, yet also concerned Erza. The woman immediately placed both hands on her shoulders, leaning in so they could speak quietly.
"You can't do this Wendy; you don't understand what you're getting into-!"
"I know what I'm doing."
"Do you really? These two are S Class Mages, Dragon Slayers who are much older than you, and have access to power you don't! I can't see you winning this Wendy…"
"Thank you for caring about me," Wendy replied with a small smile, before slowly sliding Erza's hands off her shoulders. "But I agreed to this."
"You agreed without understanding that these Sabertooth people, they'll seriously hurt you out there for fun-!"
"Erza… Believe in me, just like Natsu does."
Erza bit her lip, her eyes locked firmly with Wendy's own. It was obvious Wendy was taking this seriously, the look in her eyes said it all. It was a look she herself had borne many a time in the past.
"Wendy…"
"I can do this Erza. You know I don't like fighting, but…"
Erza, after several seconds, finally relented, eliciting a smile from the younger Dragon Slayer, who placed a hand on her arm, before walking past her.
As Wendy made her way out onto the arena floor, Erza returned to Fairy Tail's section of the stands, the rest of the Guild giving her a wide berth as Natsu appeared at her side.
"If she suffers out there… I'm going to use everything in my power to make you suffer for it."
"She'll be fine Erza, she's strong."
"She damn well better Natsu Dragneel," the Requip Mage huffed, as all eyes moved back toward the arena.
***POTD***
All eyes were on Wendy as she stood opposite the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth, two S Class Mages widely regarded as the strongest team in Fiore. The lead Slayer, Sting, bore a cocky smirk as he stepped forward, extending his arm outward to bar his partner, Rogue, from doing the same.
"No need to burn off any of that energy Rogue, I've got this one in the bag!"
"Sting…"
"What?"
"I believe it might do us some good to be cautious here," the broodier of the pair muttered, his eyes shifting from Wendy and over onto Natsu in the stands. "Natsu Dragneel's confidence in her ability to defeat us… I don't like it."
"Heh. You think this little girl is gonna be able to compete with the likes of us Rogue!? Come on man!?"
"I'm only advising caution Sting."
"Fair enough," the cockier Dragon Slayer smirked, cracking his knuckles. "I'll take it under advisement!"
"You'd better not underestimate me if you know what's good for you," Wendy chimed in, eliciting naught but laughter from Sting.
"And just what the Hell does a little squirt like you think she's gonna do to me!?"
"If you're lucky, I'm only going to break a few bones, and not accidentally sever something," came the cold response, one that silenced the entire arena, even startling Sting as he failed to retort in response. "After the filth you spouted about your Dragon parents, you won't be walking out of here…"
The tension was palpable as everyone processed what the usually sweet and innocent Wendy had just said. Sting was beginning to side more with Rogue's assessment of the girl, as he struggled to meet her frosty gaze.
"Well Ladies and Gentlemen, I think we-uh… I think that'll do for the pre battle talk ehehe…"
"Indeed Chapati. I think we've heard quite enough from both sides, so let's begin the match!"
As soon as Yajima spoke and the match commenced, Sting began to release his Magic Power, preparing to test her, whilst Wendy dropped into a low crouch, the wind in the area picking up ever so slightly.
"I've got this Rogue… I'll make it quick-!"
Wendy suddenly vanished, the entire arena holding onto their hats as a powerful gust of wind blasted the arena. It took several moments, but everyone quickly realized Wendy had closed the distance between herself and Sting, striking the man in the gut, sending him flying into the wall of the arena behind him.
"Sting!"
"I told you not to underestimate me," Wendy huffed, her fists clenched tightly as she remained on guard whilst Rogue pulled Sting out of the wall.
Wendy Marvell (PTS + Base Form + Suppressed) – 700,000 MPI
"INSANITY! I don't think anyone expected an upset like this!? Fairy Tail's youngest Dragon Slayer has delivered a brutal opening attack that left Sabertooth's Sting reeling!"
"Damn it," Sting snarled, shaking off Rogue as he shakily rose to his feet. "You've done it now!"
Sting Eucliffe (Base Form + Slightly Suppressed) – 814,412 MPI
Sting charged in Wendy's direction, spinning around to kick her, only for the younger Dragon Slayer to block the attack. Frustrated, he began performing several more consecutive hits, only for all of them to fail to land, frustrating the man further.
"Damn you… What the Hell is this!?"
"I told you in the beginning not to underestimate me! Sky Dragon's Wing Attack!"
The wind picked up as Wendy seemed to bounce away from Sting's position, her arm becoming coated in a visible grey wind. Throughout the arena, everyone again held onto their hats as powerful gusts tore through the place.
This time, as Wendy charged toward him with surprising speed, Sting was ready.
"You think that's gonna be enough!? White Dragon's Holy Claw!"
Sting shot toward Wendy, his leg glowing bright white as he spun around and clashed with her own attack. To his shock, their strikes were dead even, neither side gaining so much as an inch against the other.
"This…This can't be-!"
Wendy didn't respond, instead, suddenly dispelling her attack as she ducked, Sting's attack sailing over her head. Sting stumbled forward, giving Wendy the opportunity to slip behind and quickly kick him in the back of the head.
The Dragon Slayer didn't fall, instead skidded along the sandy floor of the arena, clutching the area he'd been struck. Looking over his shoulder, the blonde was furious, as Wendy shook her arm as if it was no issue for her.
"You're actually annoying, you know that!? Fine. You wanna play in the big leagues so bad, then let's go," Sting snarled. "Rogue!"
"Right," the broodier Dragon Slayer replied firmly, as he released his own Magical Power, closing the distance between himself and Sting so that they stood side by side. "Together!"
Rogue Cheney (Base Form + Full Power) – 1.04 Million MPI
Sting Eucliffe (Base Form + Full Power) – 1.05 Million MPI
"Let's do this Rogue, you know the strategy!"
"Right," the Dragon Slayer nodded firmly, as the pair rushed toward Wendy, beginning to assault her with a fierce barrage of punches and kicks.
To the surprise of many, Wendy was actually keeping up with the pair, managing to avoid or narrowly deflect their relentless barrage. Many within Fairy Tail turned their eyes toward Natsu, shocked that he had somehow improved her combat ability by such an absurd margin.
After a full minute of nonstop attacks, Sting finally landed a blow on Wendy, the Dragon Slayer grunting as she skidded backward. The moment she came to a stop, there was a bright flash, as she felt her entire body seize up.
"Heh. I'll admit, you were mildly more impressive than I gave you credit for," Sting smirked as he cracked his knuckles once again. "But this is it! White Dragon's Holy Seal!"
"The seal will prevent your ability to move, ushering in our victory," Rogue added, as everyone in the crowd seemed rather surprised at the anticlimactic finish to the battle. "It's over."
"Didn't I tell you before," Wendy muttered, as Sting approached her, ready to knock her out. "Don't… underestimate me!"
Orange sparks rippled across Wendy's body, and suddenly, she was free and already moving to strike Sting, who was still mid-step toward her.
"Sky Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Sting was caught completely off guard as Wendy punched him in the face, launching him across the arena and into the wall once again. Rogue was speechless, as was the vast majority of the crowd, save for several people up in the Fairy Tail section…
***POTD***
"I don't believe this," Erza gasped, eyes wide as she watched Sting be blasted across the arena again. "Natsu, what the Hell!?"
"What?"
"You know damn well what she's inquiring," Makarov chimed in, a deep frown on his face. "You taught Wendy how to wield Crash Magic!?"
"Why not? I learned it around her age?"
"That's not the point," Erza huffed. "She's not you Natsu!"
"And? Wendy's smart, and a good student. It didn't take her long to pick up the fundamentals."
"B-But-!"
"Putting aside the Crash Magic debate, he made her damn strong," Laxus muttered, eyes narrowed. "How did you manage to get her to be THAT strong in such a short amount of time?"
"Wendy has always been extremely powerful, but she often limits herself because she doesn't inherently like fighting. However, after what happened to her on Tenrou, she begged me to train her how to fight properly, like a real Dragon Slayer would. So, I did."
"And that had to involve teaching her Crash Magic too?"
"It's a useful skill for someone like Wendy to have," Natsu replied with a shake of his head, his eyes turning back toward the battle.
***POTD***
"Sting again meets with the arena wall! I don't know about you folks, but this match is shaping up to be an absolute thriller!"
Sting tore himself out of the wall this time, looking absolutely furious as he stumbled forward.
"This can't be real… There's no way a kid like you can be this powerful!"
"Sting! Calm down Sting," Rogue shouted, drawing his counterpart's attention. "Its like I said, she was trained by Natsu Dragneel personally. Like it or not, we must acknowledge her power with our own."
"You want to use… that?"
"Its highly likely she can use it too," Rogue nodded stiffly. "It's the logical next move…"
"Fine then, let's take it to the next level," Sting huffed, before glaring over at Wendy. "You'd better not cry after this, because you asked for it! White Drive!"
"Shadow Drive!"
Everyone felt the power of the Twin Dragons shoot up, some appearing quite startled, and others merely intrigued. Wendy, for her part, stood before them unflinchingly, even as their forms shifted slightly, white and black scales beginning to emerge across their bodies.
Sting Eucliffe (White Drive) – 2.1 Million MPI
Rogue Cheney (Shadow Drive) – 2.08 Million MPI
"You wanted to challenge our power, then have a taste," Sting roared, vanishing from his place and reappearing right in front of her, his leg coated in bright white light. "White Dragon's Holy Fang!"
Wendy raised her arms and blocked the attack, but still suffered a cut as she was blasted away, blood splattering the ground as she soared through the air. Before she could right herself, Rogue was behind her, his forearm projecting a large blade-like protrusion made out of his element.
"Shadow Dragon's Slash!"
Unable to block the attack, Wendy took the slash directly to the back, though she didn't so much as grunt, even as blood dripped from the wound upon her back. She sailed across the arena back toward Sting, who smashed her in the face with a brutal knee, knocking her straight to the ground.
The entire arena was dead silent as they watched the Twin Dragons brutal display. Clearly, the power gap now was far beyond what poor Wendy could handle, many eyes immediately shifting toward Natsu, only to find the Dragon Slayer smiling as if nothing was amiss.
"What's so funny you washout!? We're fucking up your little protégé, and you're just grinning!?"
"You think you're winning? That's cute."
"What-!?"
"Sting!"
Snapping his attention back to Rogue, he noticed that the other Dragon Slayer wasn't looking in his direction, but to his far right. His gaze shifted over, and he was shocked to see Wendy standing there, none of her previous wounds visible, only a faint greenish hue around her hands.
"Healing Magic…"
"You two will pay for insulting your Dragon parents," Wendy muttered, standing tall before the duo, her fists clenching once again as a fierce wind picked up, a light pink aura surrounding her form. "I don't like to hurt others if I can avoid it. But people like you, who can stand there and boast about killing your own parents… I can't see any other way of you two learning… Sky Drive!"
The entire arena was enveloped in fierce gusts of wind, as Wendy powered up. Her eyes shifted pink, along with her hair, as white scales began to emerge from around her wrists and ankles. Her teeth grew sharper, her canines becoming especially pronounced.
Wendy Marvell (Sky Drive) – 2.14 Million MPI
"You seriously think even with the power of Drive you can stand against the two of us!?"
"I do."
"You're insane," Sting laughed, shaking his head. "The power to kill Dragons resides within the both of us! You don't stand a chance!"
"You don't know anything about real power," Wendy shot back as she began to float slightly off of the ground, the scales centered around her wrists and ankles lifting upward slightly. "Because, if you did, you wouldn't be boasting about it."
The three Slayers vanished, reappearing at the center of the arena with Wendy kicking Rogue in the gut whilst simultaneously blocking and punch from Sting. Both Slayers grunted, as the ground cracked beneath them, Rogue being launched across the arena as Sting and Wendy began to trade a rapid series of blows.
"Take this! White Dragon's Holy Wing Attack!"
"Sky Dragon's Crushing Fang!"
Coating her hand in black wind, Wendy slashed at the air with her scale clad fingers, clashing with Sting as the two Slayers grit their teeth.
"You're not overpowering me this time! Get her Rogue!"
Wendy could see from the corner of her eye, Rogue's arms were extended outward, as a series of shadows were fired in her direction. Gritting her teeth, she extended her free hand outward, making a stop motion.
"Crash Barrier!"
"What-!?"
Rogue's attack slammed into the barrier, shattering into cubes and sailing right past the pair, much to Sting's chagrin as he pumped more power into his attack to try and overwhelm Wendy's.
"STING-!"
The Dragon Slayer was shocked as he suddenly felt something pierce through his back, followed by several more projectiles. Blood escaped through grit teeth as he took the hit from Wendy, quickly retreating just in time to see multiple shadow-based projectiles raining down upon his former position.
"W-What!?"
"She shattered my attack using Crash Magic, only to reform it after it had passed you by in order to strike you from behind," Rogue growled, appearing next to Sting in a flash. "Are you alright!?"
"Yeah… We've underestimated her…"
"No. YOU underestimated me," Wendy sniffed, floating nearby. "He's been telling you to smarten up the entire time."
"You're starting to get really damn annoying…"
"You annoyed me the first time I laid eyes on you," Wendy shot back, which only further angered the Dragon Slayer, the Twin Dragons charging her position once again.
***POTD***
"She's gotten so strong," Mira muttered thoughtfully as they watched Wendy vanish and reappear across the arena, powerful gusts of wind raking across Domus Flau as she went. "But what's with her hair and eyes?"
"I was wondering that too," Gray agreed, arms crossed as he watched the fight closely. "She has blue hair and blue eyes, right? So, what's the deal with them being pink now?"
"Wendy's power is something a bit unique, something I hadn't come across until we met her," Natsu replied, as he began to inform the group of what he knew. "Normally, a Dragon Slayer will only gain scales as they ascend closer to what makes a Dragon. But in Wendy's case, something different happens…"
"Well, that's obvious," the Ice Make Mage snorted in response.
"The physical part is, yes. However, Wendy seems to gain something else from this change, though I don't really understand what it is yet. All I know is that it affects her Magical Core in some way…"
"Then why allow her to use it," Erza asked, only for Natsu to raise his hand, shaking his head.
"I'm not going to deny her the right to use her own Magic Erza, that wouldn't be fair."
"But-!"
"Leave it be Erza," Makarov cut in, silencing the Requip Mage. "We are not experts in the matters of Dragon Slayer Magic. I dare say Natsu has explored these powers the most out of anyone we know."
Despite clearly wanting to protest, Erza held her tongue. She would likely get her chance later to protest, just in a more private setting.
Everyone looked back down into the arena, the tide of the battle going about how Natsu expected it would.
***POTD***
Down in the arena, Sting and Rogue had been brought to their knees, a powerful vortex of wind smashing into their position. The two Dragon Slayers were forced to wait until Wendy's attack ran its course, eventually dispersing and allowing the two men to shakily stand.
"I beat you both in your base forms, and in your Drive Forms," Wendy stated, slowly floating down toward their position. "If you really can access the Dragon Force, then do it now."
"Let's do it Sting. The fight has come this far, we may as well go all the way…"
Sting didn't respond, simply gritting his teeth as he looked up to where Natsu stood, smiling down smugly in the direction. He'd played them expertly. Or, rather, he played HIM expertly, using his own confidence against him, and dragging Rogue right into it.
"You bastard… Fine, I'll give you a damn show," Sting snarled, as their power flared even more, looking back toward Wendy with a hard glare. "You think you can handle such power!? Then come on, feel the might of the Dragon Force!"
Sting and Rogue's power flared up around them, white and black auras erupting outward as the scales around their bodies increased in density, covering much of their arms, legs and face.
Sting Eucliffe (Third Generation Dragon Force + Full Power) – 4.2 Million MPI
Rogue Cheney (Third Generation Dragon Force + Full Power) – 4.16 Million MPI
Sting and Rogue stood before Wendy, full transformed and seemingly motionless. It was obvious what they were waiting for, as the Sky Dragon looked up into the stands toward Natsu's position.
"Can I do it?"
"Use it all, Wendy. You know what you need to do."
"Right," the Sky Dragon Slayer nodded as she sucked in a sharp breath, before beginning to unleash even more power in her own right, the pink aura exploded outward much like Sting and Rogue's had.
Everyone watched as white scales began to manifest across Wendy's body, covering her neck, cheeks, arms, legs and back. Sting and Rogue were shocked however, as Wendy's body went far beyond theirs. Her height increased to nine feet, as her arms lengthened, slimming down further as her fingers elongated into razor sharp claws, her legs likewise slimming down as they morphed into deadly talons.
Her mouth opened slightly, visible black wind escaping through her teeth that had become even deadlier than before. From her shoulder blades, a pair of white wings slowly sprouted, as Wendy dropped to all fours, said wings spanning two meters in length with pink scales along the exterior and full, flesh sprouting within its confines that pulsed the same pink color.
"What the fuck…" was all Sting could mutter in response, many of the others likewise blown away by her transformation.
"This is simply unbelievable," Rogue muttered to himself, looking toward Gajeel and wondering if he too was capable of such a feat. "So, this is the power of a Fairy Tail Dragon Slayer…"
Wendy remained on all fours, looking up at the pair with her pink eyes now having taken on the more draconian appearance like Natsu's whenever he entered the Dragon Force. Her hair suddenly flicked upward, as she was suddenly lifted up off the ground.
Floating above them now, Wendy snarled as the wind in the area all seemed to be suddenly drawn toward a focal point atop her head, culminating in a black cloud that rumbled audibly, shaping itself into a sort of halo-like crown that situated itself around her forehead.
"Its time to end this," Wendy spoke, bringing everyone back to reality as they registered her voice being much deeper. "This is my Dragon Force!"
Wendy Marvell (Dragon Force + Full Power) – 4.28 Million MPI
"I can see the look in your eyes Sting, I can tell you don't believe what you're seeing. That alone is why Natsu and I keep calling you weak."
"Weak!? Do you not feel my own power!? This is the power that I used to kill Weisslogia!"
"If that's truly your full power, then you're lying," Wendy replied coldly. "Even as I am, I wouldn't be confident in saying I could even subdue a Dragon, let alone kill one like you say you both have. You're lying, you didn't kill your Dragon Parents-!"
"Shut up! You don't know shit about anything-!"
"I'll prove it," Wendy cut in, as she clenched her right fist. "If I beat the two of you here and now, you're both liars."
Sting and Rogue both scowled at that, clenching their own fists as they felt Wendy begin preparing an attack. Clenching their own fists, they watched as a black vortex manifested around her entire right arm, before she shot off toward them.
"Let's take her down Rogue!"
"Yeah!"
"White Dragon's Iron Fist!"
"Shadow Dragon's Iron Fist!"
"Sky Dragon Queen's Crashing Gale Fist!"
The men were forced to throw their punches together, as Wendy threw her punch from a distance, a giant wind fist that shook the entirety of Domus Flau with monstrously powerful gusts of wind.
The attack bore down on them as they clashed with it, the entire arena floor beneath them shattering instantly, as they began to fall down a deep chasm beneath the arena. As the two men adjusted their fall trajectories, Sting was shocked to see Wendy running along the air as if it were solid ground.
"The skies are my space, you don't have a chance against me within them," Wendy shouted, before puffing up her chest as she took a deep breath. "Sky Dragon Queen's Crashing Roar!"
In response, both Dragon Slayer's moved close together, before taking deep breaths and firing back.
"White Dragon's Roar!"
"Shadow Dragon's Roar!"
Sting and Rogue's attacks combined to form a single massive attack that clashed head on with Wendy's own. The two attacks struggled briefly, before cancelling each other out.
As the attacks struggled, the Twin Dragons managed to finally land on some falling debris, gaining some footing for the moment as Wendy charged toward them.
"I won't allow the two of you to win!"
"You don't have a choice," Sting snapped back. "Right Rogue!?"
"This fight defies all logic! No single Dragon Slayer should be capable of overwhelming another this way!?"
"You two only think that because you've never even had to face down another Dragon Slayer or Dragon before," Wendy snapped back. "If you had worked as hard as Natsu, Gajeel or myself, you'd understand the true limits of your own power!"
Rogue and Wendy traded a quick series of blows, before the Shadow Dragon Slayer sunk into his own shadow, as a barrage of light-based projectiles smashed into Wendy's position.
"White Dragon's Holy Ray!"
Wendy took the first three attacks, wincing as they pierced through her, before vanishing and reappearing rapidly, seemingly avoiding the rest of the barrage with her raw speed. Her legs kicked the air, firing off powerful wind gusts that battered the rocky walls as she shot toward Sting, the rate of fire of his attack increasing in an attempt to hit her again.
"Sky Dragon Queen's Crashing Storm Horn!"
Tucking both her knees up to her chest, Wendy kicked off the air, a resounding bang echoing all around them as she closed the distance between them instantly, her body enveloped by a horizontal cyclone.
Sting lurched forward, coughing up blood as Wendy's head smashed right into his chest, before being sucked into the vortex Wendy had left behind as it picked him up and flung him down to the bottom of the cavern, shaking the entirety of Domus Flau in the process.
Rogue emerged from Sting's shadow, and was at his side in seconds. The Shadow Dragon Slayer was completely in awe of what he was witnessing, despite also feeling similar frustrations to Sting.
Wendy appeared nearby, standing on thin air as she looked down at the battered Twin Dragons with a firm glare.
"You want to know the truth about why I know for sure you didn't kill your Dragon parents?"
"Sh-Shut up-!"
"What is it," Rogue cut in, as Sting struggled to stand, shocked that Rogue was actually willing to listen to her.
"Natsu can beat me in this form without even needing to use the Dragon Force, and he told me that he doesn't think he's even strong enough to kill a Dragon-."
"YOU'RE FULL OF SHIT," Sting spat hatefully, spitting out a glob of blood as he clenched a bloody fist. "YOU'RE ALL JUST A BUNCH OF WASHOUT SLAYERS WHO COULDN'T KILL ONE DRAGON! WE KILLED OURS!"
"You really do believe that, don't you," Wendy sighed, her eyes growing cold as she smirked down at them. "If it really is true, then your Dragon parents were weak, pathetic, and undeserving of the title of Dragon. Are you sure they weren't Drakes instead?"
Sting became absolutely furious, the white aura around him exploding as more of it seemed to leak off of his very skin. His teeth were barred, the pupils in his eyes vanishing, something that only seemed to amuse Wendy further as she giggled softly to herself.
"How does it feel to be on the receiving end of such insults? Does it… Sting a little?"
"Sting, wait," Rogue gasped, realizing what was happening. "Calm down!"
"I've had enough of this Rogue, these insults… We are superior Third Generation Slayers who actually have killed Dragons! I'm not gonna allow this bullshit to go on any further!"
Ignoring Rogue's plea to calm down, Sting charged Wendy's position, arm coated in a bright white light. Wendy didn't move, the same cold smirk on her face as she watched him approach.
Rogue, clearly realizing he needed to help Sting, shot off after him, but it was already too late.
Leaping into the air, Sting cocked back for a punch, only for his arm to be suddenly knocked off course by something, the rest of his body following suit as he was sucked into an air current.
His body looped around her position, as he prepared for it to throw him head first back down to the ground like last time. However, as his head crossed paths with hers, his eyes widened in a mixture of shock and genuine fear.
The girl was smiling, even as she cocked back her right arm, her fingers angled in an all too familiar way.
"Wait-!"
"Sky Dragon Queen's Piercing Claw!"
Sting barely had the time to beg for her not to go through with it, before her arm was elbow deep into his torso. Looking into her eyes, Sting finally realized that he wasn't dealing with a kid…
He was fighting a ruthless monster.
Blood poured from his mouth, as a powerful blast of wind propelled him off of Wendy's attack, as he smashed into the cave wall opposite their current position. Rogue immediately changed directions, leaping up and catching Sting, just as horrified by what he'd seen.
For her part, Wendy's gaze shifted to her bloody arm, before looking back down at the Twin Dragons. She knew she might be going a little bit too far, but Natsu would ultimately defend her actions.
For the briefest moment, as Rogue looked up at her, he could see mania deep within her eyes. It was for the briefest moment as she looked upon her arm, but he'd seen it. Something about her wasn't right, and he knew that they needed to do something quick if they wanted any chance of winning this.
"Sting?"
"R-Rogue," Sting coughed, as blood poured from the holes in him. "Fuck-!"
"We have one option left. If this fails…"
"We're done," Sting huffed. "I know Rogue… I know."
The Twin Dragons rose to their feet, their power beginning to surge once again as Wendy's attention shifted back toward them. The two Dragon Slayers sported identical stances; their right hands held out behind them.
"We're the Twin Dragons of Sabertooth, the greatest Slayers in the land," Sting began, as a sphere of white manifested into his palm.
"We're part of the strongest Guild in Fiore," Rogue added, as a sphere of black manifested into his own palm.
"And we… WILL WIN," both men roared, as the two spheres gently touched, before beginning to meld together to form a single attack.
"You think you're so superior to us, huh!? Well then, let's see you survive THIS!?"
Behind them, a massive sphere of black and white erupted, the entire area shaking violently as the cave strained under the Magical pressure. Wendy simply smirked back in response, flexing her fingers to the point that the veins in her hands were notably visible.
"This is our power," Rogue shouted, the sphere vanishing as a small orange ball of energy flashed into existence between their palms. "We're the greatest team in Fiore!"
"A Unison Raid," Wendy muttered, as a bright red Magic Circle manifested at her feet. "I'll need some extra power for this one…"
Sting and Rogue brought their right arms forward, their fists clenched, as Wendy was enveloped in a dark red light.
"High Enchant: Damage Modulation – Attack Over Defense!"
It was a risky gamble and she knew it, but there wasn't any other logical choice here against a Unison Raid. Grabbing all of the durability she had and funneling it into her attack power was the best shot she had of winning.
"Now," Wendy sighed, as she cupped her hands together, forming a miniature cyclone within her palm that only further added to the already monstrous power shaking the cavern. "Time to end this…"
"This is it for you," Sting roared, as both men fired the attack.
"Unison Raid: Holy Shadow Dragon's Flash Fang!"
A colossal blast of shadow and light was fired in Wendy's direction, as the Dragon Slayer prepared to counter with a brand-new technique of her own.
"Watch me Natsu… I'm doing this for you," Wendy muttered in an oddly unsettling tone, as a grin etched its way onto her face. "Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Crashing Clear Delphinium – Novacula Ventus Cannon!"
Arching her arms forward, Wendy fired what was easily a Category Five Cyclone at them, one that was buffed by both Crash Magic, as well as Enchant Magic.
Gritting her teeth as she felt the resistance being put up by Sting and Rogue's Unison Raid, she poured more power into it, which eventually resulted in a massive explosion that obscured the result from view, the arena being shaken to its very foundations.
Once the smoke eventually began to clear, no one was ready to see Wendy standing above the unconscious Sting and Rogue, her eyes obscured by her hair as she reverted back to her base form.
"A-And the winner of the match is Wendy Marvell…"
It was obvious that Chapati was just as stunned as everyone else at what had just happened. This seemingly innocent young girl had just brutally beaten down two of the supposedly strongest S Class Mages in the country by herself.
Stumbling forward, Wendy was about to fall, only to collapse into a pair of arms, as a familiar and calming scent hit her senses.
"You did amazing Wendy, I'm so proud of you."
Feeling her head being given an affectionate pat, Wendy's eyes slowly closed as she fell unconscious, exhaustion of both the Magical and Physical kind catching up to her.
Without another word, he scooped her up and carried her off to the infirmary.
***POTD***
When Natsu arrived at the infirmary, he was met by the entire Guild. All of them were worried about the condition of the youngest Dragon Slayer.
"She'll be alright everyone, its just Magical exhaustion. You get it after using the Dragon Force for an extended period of time. She'll be fine with some rest."
"Then rest she shall under Porlyusica's care," Makarov nodded as Natsu placed her down on the bed. "As for you, I must say I'm disappointed that you've done this-."
"Excuse me?"
"He's talking about how you signed Wendy up to fight not one, but TWO S Class Mages by herself," Erza snapped, sitting next to Wendy and keeping a hand on her gently. "How could you do such a thing!?"
"Do what? I knew she'd win, and Wendy wanted to fight them anyway," Natsu replied, clearly not at all bothered by the situation.
"And then there's the fact you've taught her Crash Magic as well," Makarov added, as everyone else noticed the subtle change in Natsu's posture.
"What are you both trying to say?"
"Natsu, Wendy isn't you! She's just a sweet, innocent girl-!"
"Oh piss off with that bullshit Erza," Natsu snapped back, shocking everyone, Erza included, as the Dragon Slayer approached the bed. "Look at her! Look at the scars on her body Erza!? She lost any trace of innocence she had when we all failed her on Tenrou-!"
"Natsu, that's not-!"
"You weren't the one who begged for the training Erza. You weren't the one who got on their hands and knees and begged for the strength to become stronger! Strength so that you wouldn't have to ever rely on others to save you again!"
"B-But-!"
"Wendy brought up Tenrou and Scarlione, and she begged me for the power so that when we all got into trouble, she could at least stand with us, rather than have to rely on us to fight opponents," Natsu roared, stunning the entire room into silence. "She tries her best and only wants the power to fight for those she loves and believes in! The least you sorry lot could do is praise her instead of trying to nitpick how she got her power-!"
"Natsu, that's not-!"
Elise wasn't able to finish speaking, having attempted to try and mediate the volatile argument, as Natsu stormed out of the room. Once he was gone, Laxus of all people decided to speak up.
"You know, he is right in a lot of ways. We should be proud that Wendy managed to achieve such strength for noble reasons, not hammering Natsu for training her. We all went off to train for three months, and Natsu's been teaching her things a lot longer than that," Laxus pointed out, only for Erza to be in his face.
"Of course you'd say that Laxus! Out of everyone in the Guild, you're the one who loves seeing Fairy Tail full of nothing but strong Mages, never mind how they get that power!"
"Erza," Makarov snapped. "That's too far!"
"But he taught Wendy Crash Magic Master-!"
"So, what if he taught her some Crash Magic," Laxus huffed in response. "It just shows how talented she is-!"
"But she's a young girl still-!"
"Maybe she is," Mira chimed in gently, clearly upset by all the fighting. "But how different is she from how we all were when we were her age?"
At that, Erza came up short. Her mouth opened to immediately retort, yet nothing came out, eliciting a snort from Laxus.
"All she wanted was to grow stronger to help, a far nobler goal than the rest of us, and you're judging Natsu for helping her get there," Laxus scoffed, leaving through the door, also clearly annoyed now. "I'm going to get a damn drink."
Once they were gone, Makarov sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing his temples as he looked over toward Erza.
"I'm sure Natsu and Laxus will cool off soon. However, I must admit, those two are correct, as is Mirajane. Rather than judge Natsu for helping Natsu achieve this power, we should celebrate the fact that she has achieved it."
"I think it's for the best if we all head back out and watch the rest of today's matches and just not talk about this," Elise chimed in, as she shared a look with Mira who agreed. "Let's all agree to clear our heads and talk about this like adults later, not a bunch of angry children?"
Everyone silently agreed as they filed out of the room, leaving Wendy alone with Porlyusica, who silently looked out the window, pondering the strange emotions of these Humans.
***POTD***
Meanwhile, just outside Crocus, Jellal was following two cloaked figures as they moved with purpose through the city. They were wandering the Residential District, and had stopped outside a rather modest looking home.
The larger man knocked on the door, as the pair waited several moments before a pretty, middle-aged woman answered the door.
"H-Hello? How may I help you two gentlemen?"
"Sorry to bother you ma'am," a distinctly older voice muttered quietly. "But is this the home of Shaun Farnier, one of King Toma's Knights?"
"Why yes, he's my Husband," the woman replied. "Why, has something happ-?"
Jellal's eyes went wide as he watched the larger man reach out and crush her neck in an instant. The sound of strained gurgling noises could be heard as she felt to the floor, limp. It was obvious that whoever these men were, they were series about something within the palace, but what?
He was suddenly broken out of his thoughts upon hearing the sound of a child screaming. His attention immediately snapped back to the scene as he saw a young boy standing in the doorway over his deceased Mother.
"Mother! Why would you do this to my-!"
The larger man kicked the boy in the head, as silence fell across the area. He felt like he wanted to be sick in that moment, as the head just disappeared, blood splattering the door as the shorter of the pair walked past like nothing had happened.
Shock and queasiness quickly gave way to raw, unbridled rage, as Jellal broke cover, charging at the large man, who seemed genuinely surprised at his presence. Vanishing in a flash of light, Jellal was about to strike the larger man, only for the shorter one to suddenly appear in front of him, blocking the attack.
"Well now… Finally decided to confront us, have you?"
"You scum," Jellal snarled, pushing back off the man as he skidded down the pathway leading to the home. "I can't overlook you killing a child in cold blood like that!"
"Is that right," the shorter man asked, lighting a cigar and taking a drag, his face still obscured by his hood. "You would interfere with our mission here?"
"I'm going to kill your friend there for what he's done… And then, you'll be telling me all you know about this mission you're talking about," Jellal spat back in response, eliciting an amused chuckle from the older man.
"Heh. I think not," the older man chuckled, before motioning toward the taller of the pair. "Let's deal with him."
"Of course," the younger and larger man agreed, as he entered a fighting stance, as a monstrous amount of Magical Power began to flood the area, startling Jellal, before he quickly regained his composure.
'I hope you're watching this Ultear, because this is about to get really damn ugly,' Jellal thought to himself, as the larger man charged his position, clearly intending to go for the kill.
Jellal could only hope that Ultear was able to get him backup, or he might not get out of this one alive…