A/N: Episode 254, Opening 21.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER SEVENTY-TWO: AIR
Juvia's body trembled as she was in tears. "She beat Keyes?!" Torafuzar spoke in disbelief.
"Juvia!" Natsu exclaimed.
"She did it?!" Gajeel said.
"Incredible..." Sebastian whispered.
Anti-Magic particles suddenly came out of Juvia's mouth. "Juvia!" Lucy exclaimed in worry.
"Anti-Magic particles." Tempester said.
"They were in Keyes body. Naturally, she's affected." Torafuzar added.
"Are you all right?!" Gajeel asked in worry.
Juvia stumbles back as Lucy catches her before she collapsed to the ground. "Juvia! Hang in there!" Lucy reassured.
"I want to... see Gray-sama!" Juvia muttered.
Lucy hugs Juvia closer to her. "You will! Soon!" She promised.
"Okay."
"Hey!" Cana called out. "Natsu! Lucy! Happy!"
"Erza! Gray!" Macao shouted.
"Gajeel! Juvia! Lily!" Wakaba yelled.
"Answer if you can hear us!" Romeo added.
"We're not finding them."
"I just hope they're all safe." Macao stated. "All the mooks are gone, and it seems like this cube's flying days are over. So what the hell is going on?"
"I don't know the circumstances, but can't we assume that we're winning?" Wakaba questioned.
"We can't let our guard down. Natsu and the others may still be fighting." Cana responded.
"Levy-nee went off somewhere, too." Romeo pointed out.
"Jet and Droy are looking for her now." Macao informed.
"They're looking for her? I know the henchmen are gone, but still..."
"It seems like keeping the rest of us gathered in one place is the best idea."
"Yeah."
Jet and Droy were currently running. "Levy! Where did you go?!" Droy called out.
"It's dangerous to be out on your own here!" Jet added.
"Levy!" Droy shouted.
"Gajeel! Jet! Droy!" Levy shouted out. "Everyone! Where are you?! Shoot. I'm totally separated from them."
Levy then looked down. "This is no good. I'd better search for another plan." She said to herself.
Sting and Rogue were still battling Mard Geer as Mard Geer leaped back.
"It seems there's a reason you posses Dragon Slayer Magic." Mard Geer said.
"We're bringing our lady back to the guild!" Sting exclaimed.
"But first, we're taking you down!" Rogue said.
"You're the first humans to get this far with me and still be standing. My heart is beating slightly faster with excitement." Mard Geer claimed.
"Up yours!" Sting shouted.
"Why don't you seriously take us on already?!" Rogue questioned before trying to attack Mard Geer with his shadows.
"Ignorant and foolish. And because of that, adorable." Mard Geer said as Rogue crashed to the ground. "I do feel like playing with you a little longer."
"Son of a... I hate this guy!" Sting exclaimed as him and Rogue tried to attack Mard Geer once more, who moved out of the way of their attacks.
"Dammit!" Sting cursed.
"Figured he'd be strong." Rogue commented.
"Are you finished? I thought we were going to have a bit more fun..." Mard Geer said as Sting gritted his teeth.
"Even if we attack him together, his defense is too strong." Rogue pointed out.
"You disappoint me. But to celebrate in advance for achieving my goal, I want you to dance for me." Mard Geer claimed.
"What the hell are you after?" Rogue asked.
"What are you using Face for?!" Sting questioned.
"It's all so we can return to Zeref." Mard Geer responded.
"Zeref?" Rogue repeated.
"I could say more, but you wouldn't understand it. Your stunted human brains couldn't comprehend." Mard Geer insulted as Sting and Rogue had angered looks. "Humans are such simpletons. Arouse their emotions, and you can manipulate them as you like. Well? Has some of your energy returned?"
Sting and Rogue leaped into the air. "Shut up!" The two of them shouted, making Mard Geer smirk.
Erza, Minerva, and the Exceeds were still walking through the ruins as Erza was still supporting Minerva. "So I was thinking... How much is it worth? How much?" Franmalth asked.
"That mushroom likes the sound of its own voice." Lily commented.
"A chatty demon..." Happy said.
"It's obviously just trying to buy time, yes." Lector stated.
"Fro thinks so, too."
"The control room really is this way, right?" Erza asked.
"O-Of course." Franmalth replied. "I wouldn't lie to you after all this."
Minerva looked down. "I hope Sting and Rogue are all right. Mard Geer is a fearsome foe. Perhaps I should have stayed with them." She said.
"All we can do now is have faith in them. We need to stop the continent-wide Face devices." Erza reminded.
"Right."
"When I think that our lady is worried about Sting-kun and Rogue-kun..." Lector teared up a bit.
"Fro thinks so, too." Frosch agreed.
"A lot happened at the Grand Magic Games, but she may be a good person at heart." Lily said.
"Aye!" Happy agreed.
"Our lady is actually good at cooking." Lector said.
"What?!" Lily exclaimed in shock.
"How about cooking fish?! Can she make a salt-grilled mackerel?" Happy questioned.
"Naturally! Her marinated smoked salmon and sole a la menuier with tonguefish are to die for!" Lector responded.
Happy drooled. "What's that?! Just the name makes my mouth water!" He claimed.
Lector drooled as well. "Just remembering our lady's cooking..."
"Fit for a king..." Frosch continued, drool coming out of his mouth.
"You say she's good at cooking?" Lily repeated, imagining Minerva cooking.
"This'll be delicious!"
"I bet she would make a good wife." Lily stated.
"I think your imagination is only looking at one side of the story." Lector commented.
"What are you doing?! We'll leave you behind." Erza said.
"Aye!"
"Sorry!"
"Wow. Erza-san is intense, too." Lector said.
"Fro thinks so, too!"
"Erza-san's intensity is no joke!" Happy stated.
"You'd better leave it at that." Lily told him.
"Speaking of cooking... Incidentally, how are you at cooking, Erza-san?" Lector asked.
"Well, I'm not too bad." Erza replied.
"What's this? That's kind of a vague way to put it." Lector said.
"Vague!" Frosch repeated.
"We've got Mira and Lisanna at Fairy Tail. There's no need for me to be a good cook, too." Erza claimed.
"Then you don't have confidence, huh?" Lector teased. "My lady! You win! In a cooking showdown, you would beat Erza-san!"
"You would beat her!" Frosch quoted.
"And my lady is good at writing letters, too!" Lector continued on.
"She would win with that, too!" Frosch added.
"Um, please just don't get any ideas about cooking me..." Franmalth commented.
Erza turned back. "That's enough! I really will leave you behind!" She said.
"That was useful information. Next time, why don't we have a cooking duel?" Minerva suggested as Erza didn't reply. "But first... I might chop up this unreliable mushroom."
"Certainly." Erza agreed. "Give us one more random direction, and we'll both cook you up."
"Please, that's the one thing I couldn't bear! Honestly, I'm getting you there!" Franmalth exclaimed.
"When those two are on someone's case, I can't see it ending well." Lector said.
"No matter how many lives he has, it isn't enough." Happy added.
"Fro thinks so, too!"
Lily looked back for minute. "Gajeel... I hope you're safe..." He thought.
Gajeel, Natsu, and Sebastian were still face to face with Torafuzar and Tempester as Natsu turned around. "Lucy, Juvia..." He said.
"She fainted." Lucy informed.
"Move her away from here." Sebastian instructed.
"This is gonna get ugly." Gajeel claimed.
"Got it! But the three of you..." Lucy started to say.
"We know!" The three Dragon Slayers replied, knowing what Lucy was going to say.
Lucy stood up, still holding onto Juvia. "Gray-sama..." Juvia muttered.
"Gajeel, don't drag your feet." Natsu said as Gajeel grinned.
Natsu, Sebastian, and Gajeel charged forward.
"Fire Dragon's..."
"Hellfire Dragon's..."
"Roar!" Both Natsu and Sebastian called out, releasing their breath attacks.
"Whoosh." Tempester said, moving the flames in a tornado.
"Iron Dragon's Club!" Gajeel shouted, changing his arm into an iron club and aiming at Torafuzar who blocked it with his arm.
"Oh? You're fired up?" Torafuzar questioned.
Sebastian and Natsu aimed for Tempester again who moved out of the way as Gajeel continued to attack Torafuzar, who dodged.
"We've gotta finish these guys off already." Natsu claimed.
"Yeah, right?" Gajeel agreed.
"I'm tired of this." Tempester stated.
"Yeah. It's about time we acknowledge them... not as humans, but Dragon Wizards." Torafuzar said as him and Tempester began to glow purple. "I think we cannot destroy them unless we use the true power of Etherious."
"Now I'm serious!" Tempester added.
"I don't like the looks of this!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Then why don't we..." Natsu started to say.
"...get serious, too?" Sebastian finished.
"Lightning Fire Dragon Mode!"
"Iron Shadow Dragon Mode!"
"Hellfire Drive!"
"Etherious Form!"
Natsu, Sebastian, Gajeel, Tempester, and Torafuzar stared at one another.
"Gajeel? What is that?!" Lucy questioned.
"When did you learn that?!" Natsu asked.
Gajeel chuckled. "I ate Rogue's shadow! Now I'm even more powerful than you!" He replied.
"You look like a bad guy!" Natsu insulted.
"Who are you to talk?!" Gajeel snapped back.
"I've got Laxus's lightning! That makes me stronger!" Natsu claimed.
"Actually, if we're talking who's the strongest. That would be me you lame-ass First Gens." Sebastian smirked.
"Shut up!" Natsu and Gajeel shouted at him as Sebastian chuckled.
"Then put your money where your mouth is! Which one of us can beat our enemy first?! It's a duel!" Gajeel told Natsu.
"Bring it on, iron shavings!"
"How 'bout the loser who has to compose a song praising the winner?"
"Both of you, come on!" Lucy said as Natsu, Gajeel, and Sebastian charged forward once more.
"I'm gonna be first!"
Natsu, Sebastian, and Gajeel struck their opponents repeatedly.
"What's with these three?!" Torafuzar asked.
Sebastian clasps his hands together. "Hellfire Dragon's Jaw!" He called out, swinging his fists down at Tempester.
"Crimson Lotus Exploding Lightning Blade!" Natsu shouted, attacking Tempester with flames and lightning.
"Iron Shadow Dragon's Roar!" Gajeel yelled, releasing his breath attack at Torafuzar.
Tempester and Torafuzar were on the ground as Natsu, Sebastian, and Gajeel let out a shout. "Demon!" Torafuzar exclaimed.
"I'm..."
"...gonna win!"
However, both Natsu and Gajeel punched each other in the face, causing Lucy to have a stunned look.
"How did that happen?" Torafuzar questioned as Natsu and Gajeel crashed to the ground.
Lucy sighed as Sebastian groaned in frustation while Gajeel stood up. "You went overboard, bastard!" Gajeel shouted.
"Gimme a break! I didn't hit you that hard!" Natsu yelled, standing up as well.
"I know! That's why it didn't hurt one bit!"
"Oh yeah?! I thought a little kid punched me!"
"Stop squabbling at a time like this!" Lucy told them.
"Rivals in love..." Juvia mumbled.
Lucy looked at her. "And you don't get involved by talking in your sleep!" She said.
"Rivals in love!" Juvia repeated.
"Enough! What kind of dream are you having?!" Lucy asked in irritation.
"I'm gonna win!" Natsu shouted.
"No, I'm gonna take my guy down first!" Gajeel countered.
"We will win." Torafuzar claimed, making both Natsu and Gajeel look in his direction. "I invite you to the Underworld's deep sea. Plunge the world into darkness!"
Water soon began to engulf Natsu, Gajeel, and Sebastian as well as the entire area.
"Natsu! Lucy!" Macao called out.
"Man, we've been walking a long time. When is this day gonna be over?" Wakaba asked.
"I wonder what time it is." Romeo wondered out loud.
"I don't know. Though I think we've been here for several hours." Cana answered as water came rushing towards them. "That's..."
"What is this black water?!" Macao questioned.
"It doesn't look safe! Let's get out of here!" Cana informed as they rushed off.
"Where did this water come from?" Levy wondered out loud as the water rushed past her ankles. "Pitch black water. Is this another one of Tartaros's tricks?"
She began to rush off before she turned around. "I just heard Gajeel." Levy then looked at the water. "I have a bad feeling about this."
Levy then dives into the black water.
Natsu, Gajeel, Sebastian, Lucy, and Juvia were all underwater as they held their breath.
"What's the range for this Water Magic?!" Gajeel questioned to himself.
"At this rate, I'll run out of breath!" Lucy thought. "That's right! Even in this water, Juvia should be fine!"
"Juvia!"
Torafuzar charged forward and attacked Gajeel, Natsu, and Sebastian with his arms.
"Bastard!" Sebastian thought as he tried to summon his flames, but nothing worked. "My flames won't come out!"
Sebastian glanced over to Natsu, who shook his head, telling Sebastian he was in the same boat as him.
Gajeel was soon knocked back, followed by Natsu and Sebastian.
"This isn't normal water. Just floating in it is sapping my strength!" Lucy realized as Juvia looked like she was in pain. "Oh, no! I'm losing consciousness..."
"He's that fast underwater?!" Gajeel noted, looking down to see Tempester was just looking at them. "And the other one is just watching! Like we're pushovers!"
"Salamander! Sebastian! Take the women, and find an exit outta this water!" Gajeel ordered as Natsu and Sebastian were both just floating unconscious. "H-Hey, Salamander! Sebastian!"
Gajeel then looked over at Lucy and Juvia, who were also floating unconscious. "Juvia! Lucy!" He thought.
"It seems they drank the black water of darkness. This water is poisonous. It's fatal in five minutes. Although in the first place, humans can't even hold their breath for five minutes." Torafuzar said as Gajeel locked his mouth shut and headed towards Torafuzar.
"I have to kick his ass now!" Gajeel told himself.
"There is no exit from here." Torafuzar said, moving out of the way of Gajeel's attack.
"He's fast!"
"Deep Impact!" Torafuzar shouted, attacking Gajeel who crashed to the ground.
Levy swam through the water. "Gajeel!" She thought.
"What?!" Gajeel questioned in shock.
"You took my Deep Impact and can still move?! For a human, you have spirit." Torafuzar commented.
"I don't think I can take one more of those!" Gajeel noted as he swam back up.
"Sink to the bottom of Davy Jones's locker!" Torafuzar exclaimed, getting ready to attack again.
"There is a way for me to move faster than him underwater! The shadow!" Gajeel thought as he transformed into a shadow, appearing behind Torafuzar.
"Iron Dragon's Sword!"
Gajeel soon struck Torafuzar with his iron sword before attacking him repeatedly. Torafuzar then struck Gajeel over and over again.
"Bastard... is tough..." Gajeel noted, floating down to the ground.
"This is Tartaros!" Torafuzar shouted, striking at Gajeel again and causing him to get out of his Iron Shadow Dragon Mode.
"Can't... breathe..." Gajeel thought while Torafuzar struck his stomach. "Can't move, either... If only I had air... I could take him... Dammit... Now I can't see anything... What is this dark water? Am I gonna die?"
A light soon appeared above Gajeel. "Light? I don't need light! Air... Gimme air!" He thinks to himself. "Consciousness... fading..."
Levy soon arrived, giving Gajeel air by pressing a kiss to his lips.
"Wha...?!" Torafuzar spoke in confusion.
"Breath..." Gajeel opened his eyes, seeing Levy.
"Levy! What's she doing here?!"
"How did she get in here?!" Torafuzar questioned, heading for Levy.
Gajeel quickly got back into his Iron Shadow Dragon Mode, grabbing onto Levy and attacking Torafuzar.
"Outta the way!"
A/N: Sorry that this took so long to update!
Thanks for reading!
~ Kaleb.