Chapter 120

Before the Storm

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

As Mavis finished her tale, she hung her head in shame. "A magic born of my sins… I never thought it would drag all of you into this mess…"

"Falling in love isn't a sin." Laki declared, catching Mavis by surprise. "No one blames you for any of this."

"She's right." Mirajane added. "It's coincidental that all this bad stuff kept piling up on you."

"If you weren't here, we wouldn't have Fairy Tail at all." Lucy spoke up. "Which means none of us would have ever met you."

"You being here is what connects us all." Gray said as Mavis started tearing up.

"We want to protect the guild you built, so we'll fight." Wendy spoke up. Mavis wiped the tears from her eyes as Juvia started crying.

"Mavis has to fight the person she once loved…" She mumbled though her crying, scaring Gray.

"That was a long time ago." The spirit said. "He's a threat to mankind now. We have to defeat him."

"But even if we did do something about all of Alveraz, Zeref's immortal, isn't he?" Gajeel asked. "How are we supposed to beat him, then?"

"Leave it to me!" Natsu shouted as he jumped on a table. "I'll take down Zeref! I've been developing this technique in secret anyway!"

"…and?" Lucy asked.

"What's this secret plan you're going on about?" Erza questioned.

"It's a secret." Natsu chuckled. "That's why it's called a secret plan." Instantly, Gray and Elfman were attacking him in frustration over his remark.

"Hey, I'm sure it's something really powerful if Natsu is so confident about it." Laki spoke up, trying to save her fiancé.

Happy let out a smug chuckle, catching Carla's attention. "You know what the secret is, don't you?" She asked, making the blue cat nod.

"Anyway, I can only use it once." Natsu declared, flexing his covered arm. "But it's something I created to take down Zeref, and I'm certain I can!"

"Guess we gotta believe in him." Bickslow chuckled.

"And his confidence is somewhat encouraging for us anyway." Freed added.

"Amazing how one man can raise this much morale, isn't it?" Evergreen asked.

"I have some plans as well, but I'll trust Natsu for now." Mavis declared.

"Master…" Lucy spoke up, catching Makarov's attention. "We need information about what we're going up against."

"Of course, I will tell you all that I know." The old man replied.

In a cave far away from any form of civilization, a broken man laid against the rock. "My arm is itching…" He mumbled, blue marks covering his body. "The arm that the flame dragon took from me…" Standing up, he let wild blue hair flow down his back. "The Dragon King Festival… That's where I'll take everything back."

His body glowed and shifted, transforming into a massive black dragon. "The absolute, and the one befitting of the title, the king of dragons, I, Acnologia!"

Lucy sat in her apartment, writing at her desk. A scared look covered her face as she stared at the notebook in front of her. "Heh, well said." She froze in fear as she felt a shadow grow over her, the smell of booze wafting over her.

"Get out of my room!" Lucy turned and kicked the chair at Cana, who calmly caught it and sat down.

"Take it easy, Luce." The tanned girl chuckled.

"So they finished evacuating people already…" Lucy mumbled.

"Yep, so let's chill out, girl!" Cana declared, holding up bottles of booze.

"I don't think drinking right now is a good idea." The blonde said. "Tomorrow we have a war to fight, and I'm not the least bit excited for it."

"Me either…" The card user replied. "This is a fight where we've got to do whatever it takes to win… It's scary."

Lucy let out a sigh and closed her journal. "Alright, maybe one game."

"How about strip poker?" Cana joked, angering the blonde.

In a bathhouse in the city, Wendy and Carla sat in the tub. "Crime Sorcière will be helping us out too?" The small girl asked.

"I guess they'd have to make their move as well if it's Zeref we're up against." Erza declared from across the tub.

"That's good then." Wendy cheered.

"Though they did destroy Caith Shelter…" Carla mumbled in annoyance.

"Do you remember the first time I asked you two and Rose ro join us in Fairy Tail?" The older woman asked, making the two nod. 'How could I get a girl like her involved in all of this…' She stood up and turned around to leave the tub. 'But this just means I have to protect them.'

A force from behind caught her by surprise as Wendy hugged her. "This time, we'll protect you."

Erza smiled before hugging back. "You've become such a fine wizard, the pride of our guild."

Out in the woods, Rose walked down a path that ended at Natsu's house. Happy was sitting outside, eating a fish as usual. "They in there?"

"Uh-huh." He mumbled, offering her another fish.

Rose declined before sitting down next to him. "I don't think this is traditional human wedding process." She chuckled. "But they aren't traditional people, after all."

Inside the house, Natsu and Laki fell back onto the new bed Laki made them, the blanket covering the pair. "That… was… awesome…" Natsu panted out.

Laki chuckled as she snuggled into his bare chest. "And they'll be much more of that after we win." She declared, her ring catching his attention. "So promise you'll come back to me."

"Of course I will." He chuckled, tracing a red fire mark on her shoulder blade. "I made my own promise."

"I love you, Natsu." She said, eyeing a tree mark on his side.

"Love you too, Laki." Natsu added before the two kissed.

Gray stared out over the city as Juvia walked up from behind. "Want some?" He offered a bar of jerky to her and she nervously took it. "I'm really thankful that you're here…" His words caused steam to shot out of her ears. "When the battle is over, I'll give you my answer. So let me focus for now…"

"Yes…" Juvia nodded with a soft smile.

Thinking back to Natsu's word, Gray chuckled. "I have some tricks up my sleeve too… wait for me, Zeref… E.N.D.…"

Fairy Tail Guildhall

"Warren, how's it looking?" Makarov asked the telepath.

"They're nowhere in Fiore, yet…" He replied.

"Things would be a lot easier of we could pinpoint exactly which direction they will be coming from." Makarov mumbled.

"We could always place a diversion in the north and station our main forces in the south…" Mavis said, appearing from behind. "I've just finished checking up on everyone… they aren't the least bit worried about our situation. They've become so strong…"

"So that's how you see them…" The living master replied. "To me, it seems like they're barely pulling through the uneasiness they're all feeling…"

"They're stronger than you give them credit for." Mavis declared.

A bell started ringing through out the town as a massive series of dot appeared on the screen. "Why didn't it detect anything!? They're so close!" Warren shouted.

"Everyone, get ready!" Mavis roared. "The enemy is above us! We have about fifty large ships above of us!"

"Oh, yeah! Time for you to return to ashes, Fairy Tail!" Ajeel shouted from the lead ship. "Fire!" A barrage of magic shots rained down on the city, only for a magic shield to suddenly appear and block the hits. "What?… Anti-magic barriers, huh?"

"First! Freed is powerful, but I'm not sure he can hold back this onslaught…" Makarov told the spirit.

"Why didn't we think they could come from the west?" Macao complained.

"What do we do now!?" Wakaba asked.

"No, it's something I had considered…" Mavis mumbled, stunning the two old men. "In fact, it's quite a pleasant surprised that the enemy's sent a smaller fleet than expected for the preemptive strike. Warren, relay this message. Start strategy D! Team Flying Dragon and Ospreys, commence attack!"

"This is Team Osprey, we're at the Eastern Woods. The enemy is too far…" Bisca reported.

"Bisca, I have complete faith in you…" Mavis comforted her.

Ajeel laughed as he stared down at the city, a smile on his face. "How do you like that? A few more rounds and that shields gone!"

"Ajeel, sir! Something's approaching us quickly." The Sand user looked down to see four blurs flying through the barrage and crashed into a ship, creating an explosion. "We've lost number ship 4!"

"Say hi to the Flying Dragons!" Natsu declared before he and the other Dragon Slayers split up, destroying more ships. A counter fire shot back and forced them to dodge. "Way to go, Happy!"

"There's too much enemy fire!" Pantherlily shouted.

"Bisca needs to get shooting!" Carla reported.

"Charged and ready." She reported before a massive beam of magic shot up. Ajeel held out his hand and a storm of sand dispersed the shot, the scattered magic destroying even more ships.

"He defused a shot from a Jupiter Cannon!" Lily shouted in surprise.

"Guess we gotta fight him up close…" Gajeel declared. "And we start with the sandy bastard!" The exceeds followed the order and he, Natsu, Laki and Wendy landed on the ship.

"You guys are really pissing me off…" Ajeel started, only go slack jaw at the sick quartet. "What the hell?"

"How did we forget this is a vehicle!?" Happy shouted.

"Is this some kind of joke?" The Sand user asked, leering over Natsu. "What happened to that cocky brat from Alveraz? Now you look like an idiot on your own turf!"

A massive slice took out the bow of the ship, sending the four falling to the ground. "Happy, catch them."

"Aye!" The four cats nodded before Erza rushed forward, taking out the entire crew.

An enraged Ajeel slowly turned around, veins popping on his face. "Who do you think you are?"

"I'm the woman who will strike you down." The redhead declared. The two glared at each other as Natsu looked up at the destroyed ship.

"A lot of the ships are starting to land." Laki declared. "We need to take them out now."

"I guess we just gotta leave this for Erza." Gajeel huffed. "It's on a ship anyway."

"This is Erza we're talking about." Rose added. "She can handle this creep."

Fairy Tail Guildhall

Mavis and Makarov looked up at the map projection in front of them. "She's strong, but I'm afraid she won't be able to defeat one of the twelve on her own…" The living master mumbled.

"We must believe in her…" Mavis replied.

"Our morale will definitely rise if we manage to stop the enemy and his fleet!" Warren shouted. "And since we cut the enemy's attack in half, Freed can handle what's left."

"Next shot I take, I'll make sure it reaches." Bisca added.

Western Cliffs

"Charge! March towards Magnolia!" The army roared before racing towards the city. Four blurs of light charged the invaders before crashing into them, the Dragon Slayers ready to fight.

"Get lost!" Natsu shouted as he ignited his limbs and started swinging. "Fire Dragon Talon!" Swinging his flaming leg, he launched fighters back and sent a fiery wave forward. A large member swatted the attack aside as the two glared at each other before they charged at each other.

Above them, Erza launched her swords at the Desert Prince. "Yeah, as if something like that would hit me." Ajeel chuckled as the blades flew through his sandy body. Erza was suddenly in front of him and swung twin swords, only for the attack to go straight through her foe.

"Is there anyone stronger than you in your guild?" Ajeel taunted as he reformed, blasting her back with said. "Though I have to say, you're great warming up material!"

"Don't you dare underestimate Fairy Tail!" Erza shouted, swinging her sword at him. Jumping over the blade with ease, sand started swirling her. "What is this…"

"I can't be bothered to…" Ajeel chuckled as he landed. "Well, enjoy turning into sand…"

Guildhall

Warren looked at the map in shock as he turned to Mavis. "There's a hole in Freed's barrier!"

"It couldn't be… the enemy has nullification magic?" The spirit questioned before turning to city. "They're coming through the streets! Everyone, prepare for battle!" Her words echoed through out the guild members as they charged to the breach.

"There's another one in town!" Warren shouted, shocking the two masters. "N… no way… there's another 300 ships coming at us from the north, and judging from the magic, at least three of them on board… That's not all, we've got an army of similar size coming from the south, along with another three… And the east... a giant army of at least three million people with another 3… There's no where left for us to go…"

'No matter how you look at it, there's no winning this…' Mavis thought in shame,

Lucy stood alone in her apartment and picked up Aquarius' broken key, holding it to her chest. 'Please, lend me your strength, Aquarius…' The sound of water running water caught her attention as she turned to the bathroom. Marching over, she pushed the door open and found Brandish sitting in the tub.

"So this is indeed your house, then?" The Spriggain asked, scaring Lucy. "I wonder why you left such a strong impression on me…"

Yeah, skipped a lot of stuff, because honestly, it didn't really add to the story. Not much left to say, so see you all next time.