Natsu and Takeru lunged towards Zero's, their respective elements covering their fists. Natsu threw a right hook towards Zero's jaw, but the sadistic male swayed to the left, dodging the hit. While he dodged, Takeru came in with a left hook, catching Zero off guard somewhat. The left hook was a direct hit, causing Zero to take a single step back. "I got you!" Natsu exclaimed, throwing a heated haymaker right towards Zero's jaw, but Zero recovered in time and grabbed Natsu's fist, swinging him into Takeru and the two dragon slayers away as a result. "Gah…!"
"This guy…" Takeru grunted in annoyance, quickly looking over to see how Leon was handling Midnight. He wasn't. Leon was attempting to handle both Zero and Midnight at the same time, for whatever reason. "What is he…?"
Leon threw an acid coated fist towards Midnight's sternum, but Midnight blocked with his own Darkness Magic infused fist, the collision of the two magics causing minor shockwaves. Leon then pulled a feint, faking a right kick towards Midnight, but actually went for a left kick at Zero. It failed, and Zero just pounded Leon into the ground with a single blow, throwing him over to the other two dragon slayers after. "Ouch…" Leon winced, standing back up almost immediately.
"Spiral Pain." Midnight uttered, pointing his index finger into the air.
"Watch out!" Leon shouted, shoving both Natsu and Takeru out of the way just as the spiraling distortion of air struck. Leon was the only one affected, and the distorted blades sliced through his skin and clothing, leaving him moderately injured as a result.
Takeru rolled to the side as Leon pushed him away; he used this time to puff his cheeks out, taking aim at Midnight since he was distracted by Leon. "Shadow Dragon's Roar!" Takeru shouted, unleashing a funnel of shadows towards the distracted Midnight. Takeru's plan almost worked, but Midnight's reflector magic merely diverted the roar off to the next wall. "Damn!"
"Your magic cannot touch me…." Midnight replied to Takeru's assault with a malicious grin.
By then, Zero found his way to Takeru, raising a fist fight. "!" Takeru's eyes widening, and he brought up his arms over his head to defend against Zero's crushing blow. The ground cratered a good few feet under Takeru, and even in his Shadow Drive he struggled to fend off Zero.
"Fire Dragon's Sword Horn!" Natsu roared, slamming himself head first into Zero's side, the attack just strong enough to send Zero skidding across the floor. Natsu touched down on the floor onto a knee, propelling himself forward once again by shooting fire from the soles of his feet, aiming yet another Sword Horn for a follow up on Zero. "I got you now, bastard!"
Zero placed a hand up, creating a translucent green barrier in front of him. Natsu slammed into this Dark Barrier, only to be repelled completely and rolled across the floor until he stopped. "You three have no chance of victory against the two of us…" Zero said while placing his hands on the ground, causing the area round the three dragon slayers to glow a bright green. "Dark Gravity!"
"I remember th-" Natsu began, but before he, Takeru, or Leon could do anything, the ground beneath them shattered and the three dragon slayers were sent crashing down to the lower levels of the Council Building.
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"Oi…what was that shaking…?" Lucy asked while looking around.
"Sounds like one last battle is taking place…" Mirajane replied. "Maybe that's where Natsu and the other two are…"
"You'd be correct…" Ace said while walking into the room, surprising just about everyone.
"Ah, Ace, there you are…" Tristan gave a nod. "I was beginning to worry about your condition, since you hadn't been seen since the attack on the ball…"
"Nice to know you were worried!" Ace chuckled, snacking on some generic brand snack as usual, swallowing it once again before speaking. "Here." Ace then projected a lacrima screen of Natsu, Leon and Takeru vs. Zero and Midnight. "That's where they all are now."
"That's Zero…!" Gray clenched his hand into a fist. "No fair…! Why does Flame Brain always get all the action!"
"It could have something to do with your current condition right now…" Aira commented. "I don't mean to be rude here…but the three of them are stronger than you, Gray…"
"Wh…!?" Gray took offense to this comment. Even though it was clear that Aira meant no harm by it, he still couldn't believe she said that. "I'm not weaker than flame head! It's the other way around!" Gray replied, trying his best not to yell at Aira.
"Now, now…" Ace said while trying to calm everyone down. "Let's not sweat the details…While everything was going on I happened to come across a few rather useful pieces of information….something I think you, the Council, should be very well aware about."
"And what would that be, Ace?" Lahar asked while raising his brow.
"It's concerning the status of your deceased members…" Ace started. "First off…Captain Correll is dead."
"Tch…" Odin merely scoffed. "He probably let his guard down to some "fine ass"…" Odin said, using his fingers as quotes to emphasize his point.
"Technically, that's true…" Ace said. "It appears Heartless was here, and she used Kairi as a means to carry out her evil deeds…"
"So it was Kairi who killed Correll?" Layanna asked for clarification.
"No, it was Heartless using her body…" Ace clarified.
"Murder is still murder, Mr. Ace," Layanna replied.
"Then blame Heartless. Kairi was just used," Ace replied. "Anyway…and the next one has to do with a particular officer I'm sure you're all familiar with now…"
"O-Oh look!" Bright suddenly interrupted, pointing to the lacrima screen. "It appears as though the dragon slayers are in need of some assistance of the Justice kind!"
"You stay right where you are…!" Ace demanded, turning to glance at the lacrima screen.
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"Dark Delete!" Zero exclaimed while jumping down into the hole created from his Dark Gravity along with Midnight, unleashing multiple green spheres of Dark Magic to rain down onto the three slayers.
"Enough of this!" Natsu roared, jumping up into the air with fire blazing around his arms. "Secret Art: Crimson Lotus, Exploding Flame Blade!" With the activation of his Secret Art, he spun his arms around in a counterclockwise motion, unleashing a spiraling vortex of flames. This managed to catch both Midnight and Zero off guard somewhat due to how aggressive and reckless it was. Both father and son began to plummet down to the ground below, allowing Leon and Takeru to make follow up attacks.
"Finally…" Takeru said to himself, using his Shadow Drive to his advantage. He morphed into a shadow and proceeded to climb up the wall. Once reaching the desired destination, he sprang out, shadows coating his leg. "Shadow Dragon's Slash!" Takeru called out the name of the attack while swinging his leg in an axe kick, landing his heel right on top of Midnight skull, sending the mage crashing down into the floor below.
Leon held his hands at his sides, gathering two spheres of green energy in his palms. "Acid Dragon's Corroding Beams!" Leon shouted, throwing both beams of acid magic right towards the descending Zero.
"Dark Rondo…" Zero mumbled, flipping while pointing his finger forward. He unleashed yet another beam of dark magic towards the incoming spiraling beams of Acid, cutting right through it with ease. The Dark Rondo then proceeded to hit Leon directly, but Zero wasn't done there. He then turned the Dark Rondo into a whip of Dark Magic, whipping it around to hit both Natsu and Takeru, causing grunts of pain to escape their lips as they were more or less unable to avoid it. Zero landed on the ground, one arm behind his back while whipping the dragon slayers with the other, a maniacal laugh escaping his lips. "Hahahahaha!"
"Guh, this is starting to get on my nerves!" Natsu grunted before slamming a fire fist into the ground, allowing the rubble to pop up and take the blows. Zero stopped his assault, staring at the three dragon slayers who stared him down with distain in their eyes.
"Father…I think it's about time we ended this little charade and moved onto some bigger things, no…?" Midnight asked while bringing himself up, rubbing his head from Takeru's earlier blow.
"I think that's an excellent idea…" Zero grinned, and he and Midnight began to make the same movement, moving their arms in a clockwise motion while two black spirals of energy began to appear in front of them.
"No you don't..!" Natsu shouted, charging right for the two before they could unleash their ultimate attack off.
"It's not safe!" Leon warned Natsu, running off after him to stop him.
"Dammit, this isn't gonna end well…!" Takeru said to himself before running off after the two. He figured since the charge began, they might as well see it through to the end.
"Fall into despair, and be cast away by darkness!" Zero yelled, the two portals of his and Midnight's growing larger before merging into a single once much larger than a single one.
"Genesis Zero!" The two shouted in unison.
"G-Gaaaah!" The three dragon slayers tried to turn heel and escape, but it was far too late, and the Genesis Zero sucked them in, beginning to consume the three within eternal darkness while the entrance began to close.
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"N-NATSU!" Lucy shouted. "N-No! We have to get over there!"
"Count on me! I'll get over there in a flash!" Flynn nodded, immediately running over to the nearest hallway. Before he could, a rune wall shot up in front of him, completely halting his run. "Gah!"
"Runes?" Laxus blinked a few times. "What's the big idea?"
"I'm afraid I can't let you do that…" Bright said as a very serious expression appeared on his face.
"Bright?!" Doranbolt shouted, almost in shock that Bright was behind this. "What's this about!? What are you doing?!"
"And that's what I was planning on saying next…but it appears he beat me to it…" Ace said as he brought up a lacrima screen, showing another deceased body. "While I was walking around, I happened to come across the body of a dead council guard…though this one seemed different than the rest, a face that shouldn't be walking around."
"What do you mean…?" Hikaru asked. "You can't be suggesting that…"
"It's not a suggestion, my dear Hikaru…" Ace replied. "Justice Full Bright has been missing for hours, long before the Council Ball even started. I can't say if he's dead or not, but..."
"WHAT!?" Everyone seemed to shout, now looking at Bright.
"That's right…that would make this one here an imposter…" Ace finished.
"So the real Bright really was stationed to prevent a situation like this?!" Cana asked, completely bewildered.
"But it seemed he was dealt with before he had the chance…" Layanna said, dropping Kairi almost instantly and pointed her sword towards Bright. "So that leaves the question…who are you, and what are you doing here…?"
"Well, I guessssssssss you ssssssssaw through my little ruse in the end after all…" The imposter said with a chuckle. "It was fun while it lasssssted, but I think I've finally come to the conclusion of who's jusssssstice is more jusssst!" A magic seal appeared above "Bright" and ran down him, revealing his true form. A purple vampire-like person, wings all spread out. "I am Shade of the Wizard Hunters, and it's been a pleasure scouting you all!" With that, Shade unleashed a powerful high pitched screech of Sound Magic, causing everyone to cover their ears. "HAHAHA! Yumia, Yukia, now!"
"Aye, sir!" Yukia exclaimed, breaking down the nearest wall with her sister. "Alright everyone, let's move, move, move!" Cain, Marx, and Weavel jumped from the wall and began making their escape to the doorway.
"The Wizard Hunters…!" Doranbolt shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the high pitched noise. "They're escaping!"
"Na na na na na!" Marx said, poking his tongue out in a childish manner towards everyone before leaving with the other three.
"And my work here is done…" With that, Shade dipped into the shadows and vanished.
"What the HELL just happened!? Cana asked while giving a confused look, rubbing her ears.
"Whatever it was, it wasn't wild…" Bacchus replied.
"Whatever…" Lucy groaned before turning back to the lacrima screen. "Natsu, please make it out okay! We still have work to do!"
"Tak…" Selene said silently, staring at the screen.
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Silence filled the room as the Genesis Zero began to close. Midnight and Brain were satisfied with their work, believing the battle to be over. "Heh…Huh?" A bright light shone at the very entrance of the vortex, and the three dragon slayers leapt out, their element swirling viciously around their bodies. "WHAT THE!?" Zero was in utter shock, along with Midnight. "How did you escape that this time!? It should've been impossible!"
"I'm not gonna die…as long as my nakama are behind me!" Natsu roared, flames flaring brilliantly above him. "I got more important things to finish after this battle, so I ain't going down until then!"
"What he said…" Takeru replied with a stern nod.
"Exactly!" Leon said with a grin. "These two are now my nakama, and I won't let them down!"
"Ridiculous…" Midnight shook his head. "I refuse to be defeated by this "power of friendship" once again! It's nothing but delusions you people tell yourself to escape death! I won't have it anymore!"
The dragon slayers were done talking now. They all puffed their cheeks out, gathering their respective element in their mouths. When they found the amount good enough, they all threw their heads forward, unleashing their roars.
"Fire Dragon's Roar!"
"Acid Dragon's Roar!"
"Shadow Dragon's Roar!"
The three roars converged midway, creating a unison raid: The Acidic Roar of the Shadow Flame Dragon, a vortex of acid, shadows, and fire all rushing towards Brain and Midnight. "Y-You're magic won't touch us…! I won't allow it!" Midnight said with a sense of panic, activating his Reflector Magic to make the unison raid useless. He believed it would work, and then he and Zero would finish off the nuisances once and for all. He was wrong. The roar pierced through the Reflector Magic, striking both Zero and Midnight in a green/orange/black explosion that shook the entire building. When it faded, both Zero and Midnight were in a KO'ed status, eyes twitching as they lay in defeat.
"We did it…" Takeru let out a sigh of relief and exited his Shadow Drive, falling onto his back after, letting the damage he took finally get to him. "Ouch…"
"Heh…not bad…" Natsu said while falling to his knees to catch his breath.
"We should do that again sometime….haha…." Leon was joking of course.
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"They made it…" Aira let out a heavy sigh of relief.
"Of course they did!" Lucy exclaimed. "They had Natsu on their side, after all!"
"Aye!" Happy gave a nod of agreement.
"Well, let's be fair here…" Selene started. "Tak did most of the work…"
"No way!" Lucy said, suddenly butting heads with Selene. …She found that to be a very bad idea as Selene's head was as hard as her diamond element, so she ended up holding her head in a comical fashion. "Ooooooow!"
"Idiots…" Layanna shook her head.
Meanwhile, Lahar and Doranbolt rushed to the prison cells to see if anyone had escaped, mainly Tia. They reached Tia's cell, and they were surprised at what they saw….
Tia had a large amount of food within her cell, and she was chowing down on it until she noticed the two council captains staring at her. "…What? I may like the quietness of this place, but I refuse to starve in here…"
Fairy Tail: Dealer Arc Part 1
End.