Chapter 74

A Doll's Dream

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback you

Location / Date / Time Skip

Lucy's eye snapped open, showing a bizarre pattern as her torso sunk into the crystal. "Beg all you want, it won't do any good." Natsu turned around and was struck by the skull staff of Midnight. "Soon the clock and the girl will become one, giving us complete control over Real Nightmare."

"That won't happen!" Laki shouted.

"Nobody is going to take my big sister away from me." Michelle said. "The two of us will stay together forever."

Warren spoke up in the Dragon Slayers head and they quickly explained the whole situation. "You keep talking about being with Lucy, but you haven't even considered what she wants." Laki said, helped up by Natsu. "All she wants is to believe in you again. You betrayed her, Michelle. Why can't you understand that?"

"Don't conflate the issues." Brain 2 said from behind. "She is attempting to reclaim what is rightfully hers. Isn't that right?"

The plant girl grunted before throwing her shield at the two, forcing the pair to dodge. "I know exactly what my sister wants! And that's the same thing that I want! To be together again, just like before!" She appeared from behind and was about to slash Natsu when a ball of purple fire hit her.

"You liar!" Romeo shouted, shocking the others at his appearance. "Nobody believes anything you say anymore! You lied when you said you were Michelle, you lied about being human, why the hell would we believe you now!?"

"I was there!" Imitatia shouted before jumping back from more fire.

"You have no idea how happy she was to meet you!" The boy shouted, throwing his magic in a slash. "She just lost her father when you came along! You took advantage of her pain and suffering! She trusted you and so did I, and then it turns out that was a all lies!"

"Romeo..." The spy whispered before lowering her head. Romeo charged her again only to get slashed by the shield and knocked back.

"That does it..." Natsu ignited his fists and stepped forward as Laki followed behind. "I don't care who you are, what you want or what you are. I'm going to beat the crap out of you and save Lucy!"

"Then I have no choice but to kill you both." Imitatia said.

"Do not fail me, Imitatia." Midnight ordered. "Don't forget who is in charge, unless you've forgot your prayer."

Natsu unleashed a torrent of flames that Michelle slid under. She brought her sword up to slash when Laki jumped up and punched her back. The girl unfurled her whip-shield and slashed Laki from behind. "We aren't done yet." Laki said as the staff spoke to the girl.

"Rip these fools to shreds!" Vines shot out of her back and grab the couple by limbs before slamming the two to the ground.

"Warning." Lucy spoke up, catching everyone's attention. "A bloodthirsty enemy comes near." Seconds later, Samuel burst through the ceiling and charged the captive girl, intent on taking her life.

Inches from her throat, Coco appeared and blocked him. "Move Coco!"

"No, I won't!" She shouted. "If you want to kill Lucy, you'll have to kill me too!"

Samuel pulled his hand back and his claws returned to normal. "I've put aside church law for the greater good. Is it so wrong to trade one life for the entire world!?" He charged again only for Happy and Rose to headbutt him in the stomach and face.

Pantherlily landed in front of the two and punched Samuel away as the captive Slayers smiled. "You need to learn value of life!" The black cat shouted before tackling Samuel back. Rose slapped Lucy in the face to wake her up, but her look remained unchanged as tears suddenly started falling from her eyes.

Natsu and Laki pulled on their vines and snapped them apart before Michelle charged them again.

With Erza

"Answer me, is all this destruction worth the power you've gained?" Erza asked, swinging her sword. "Dragging the whole world into chaos?"

"I couldn't care about the world." Cobra said before blasting another sound wave at her. "All I care about is facing Cubelios again. You could never understand. I've given up everything I had, so now I have no fear of losing. Without fear I have true power!"

A new voice rang out and spoke up, explaining how to slow down the clock. Enraged, poison rolled off his arms and they turned to scales. "My friend gave me one final breath before she disappeared. And now I'll use it to end you. I'll rot the flesh off your bones! Poison Dragon Roar!"

Red mist flew at Erza before it exploded, turning to harmless dust. "This ancient weapon was created to ward off evil." Erza said, holding the massive hammer. "It also seems quite useful battle."

"You acted on instinct... I couldn't hear your thoughts." Cobra growled in annoyance before ultrasound filled his ears. "Looks like you are willing to make a big sacrifice after all. You plan on cutting these chains and kill us both?"

Erza jumped forward and smashed the link with her hammer, shattering the metal and sending the two falling. Cobra landed on a second chain only for Erza to crush it as well. "This will do nothing! Your world is doomed!"

They landed on another chain and stared at each other intensely. "You said you that your power comes from a sacrifice. But having nothing to lose isn't the same as being strong."

"Make your point or die already!" Cobra shouted back.

"True power comes from fighting to protect what you have." The red head replied, ready to swing her hammer. "Living only for yourself is the very definition of weakness. If this friend was ro come back, how could you ever look them in the eye!?"

She charged and swung her weapon, only for a shield of poison to block her. "Be quite!" Cobra charged through and grabbed the weapon before forcing her against the metal. "You lasted far longer than expected, but that ends now. This is where you die!" He reached out for her face only to freeze in shock.

"Cubelios?..." He mumbled, backing away. "It can't be... No, there's no mistaking it. Her body might have changed, but her mind is the same. It's her..."

"Seems you also lost your focus in battle." Erza said before swinging her hammer. Cobra tried to counter but was launched off the chain as it shattered to pieces.

Lucy's Chamber

"Warning, another seal has been broken." Lucy declared. "Now only two remain."

"That means you two are the only ones left." Laki said as her partner smiled.

"How can you two be so simple minded?" Imitatia asked. "At this point, you're just delaying the inevitable. Its too late to change anything."

"I will complete what my father failed to." Midnight declared. "To destroy all that has formed in this world and bring about an age of destruction and chaos. Seven years ago you stopped us. But this time will be different. I will destroy you both!" He waved his hand and Reflector Tornado shot up, blasting the two back.

"And just so you know, the wizard who's life you're trying to save is already dead, nothing but a lost cause. A century slumber is one thing, but she will become one with the clock entirely. Mind and body merging with the clock itself. And at that point she will fade from the memories of everyone who knew her. Her existence will erased from this world."

Everyone gasped in shock as Imitatia turned to him. "That's not true. She's supposed to stay with me forever."

"That will still happen." The leader told her. "She is just going to change forms into something more suited for our needs. And she'll be the perfect companion for someone like you."

"No..." Imitatia dropped her sword in shock before unfurling her whip shield. "Sister!" She pulled herself over to Lucy and began trying to chip away at the amber, kicking the other three away. "Forgive me! I never wanted this!" Tears started falling from her eyes.

"Why did you open your mouth now?" Klodoa asked.

"Imitatia, your usefulness has ended." Brain 2 held out his hand plant theme girl fell backwards. She reached out for Lucy and started glowing before she turned into a doll a single tear falling from its face. Midnight stomped on the doll before kicking it away.

"Monster..." Natsu mumbled before standing up.

"Natsu!"/"Laki!" Romeo and Rose shouted before throwing a ball of fire and chunk of wood respectively. The two ate their elements before charging the last member and punched him at the same time, sending him flying back.

Midnight recovered and threw a dark spell at the two. "It won't be long. Once I fulfill my fathers wish, everything will end."

"Not going to happen!" Laki shouted. Elfman helped Romeo up before the staff blocked their path.

"You guys snap that twig in half." Natsu said. cracking his knuckles. "Me and Laki are gonna punch the makeup off his face!" All four charged their opponents.

"Nothing you have can even touch me!" The leader declared before sending the two elements back at them. "You'll run out of magic power soon enough, and then you'll die. My power is finally equal to my father's and now I do. This is where you both die. Genesis Zero!"

The name of the spell caught their attention as shadowy figures emerged, flying at the two. They pushed the couple back towards a black hole before they clasped hands like they did seven years ago, a golden light enveloping them. The dark spell tore apart before a dome of wood exploded into shards and fire. "You haven't sacrificed anything!"

"Magic comes from the heart and the more you put aside, the greater you power becomes!" Midnight shouted, channeling a spell before they started trading punches as the staff snaked away. The three traded punches before the couple unleashed a roar, forcing Midnight back.

The dark wizard countered with another spell only for the two to push forward and kicked him aside. "This ends now!" Both charged and punched him as hard as they could, shattering the wall and knocking Midnight out.

"We did it!" Romeo cheered.

"How's Lucy?" Elfman asked, only to go wide eyed at the empty crystal.

"I'm right here." Her voice said from all around.

"She's totally merged with the clock." Rose said.

"Wait, does that mean we're inside her?" Natsu asked as the blonde screamed in disappointment.

"Good, I've gotten through!" Warren said before explaining how to break free. Lucy wasted no time and the clock started glowing in a blue light. A massive explosion of energy ripped the clock apart, blinding the wizards and sending the pieces flying all over the world. Natsu opened his eyes and found himself on top of Kanaloa, the others with him.

"Wait, where's Lucy!?" Laki asked.

The pinkette sniffled the air and turned to the sky, seeing the blonde fall from the sky. "There!" The couple sprinted off the cephalopod before jumping into the air. They reached out and grabbed her before landing on the ground, the girl smiling at her friends.

There was way too much emotional crap that wasn't needed in this chapter for me to stomach so I just skipped it. As a result, this chapter is a lot shorter than normal. Hope you all can forgive me. Next month will hopefully be back to normal length so I'll see you then.

Have no clue where my beta reader is, so please forgive the errors. Also very sorry for the late post of this chapter.