Chapter 36

Brain & Natsu

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

"Magic"

Flashback

Location / Date / Time Skip

With Natsu

Natsu opened his eyes and found himself in a void, unaffected by the fact he was on a vehicle. "Where am I?" A scream made him turn around and his face grew pale.

Laki stood with a massive hole in her gut before falling over, Cobra behind her with his hand covered him her blood. "Laki!" He ran over as the two faded away. "What the?" Another Laki appeared to his side, this one being squeezed to death the snake. "Stop it!"

He swung his fist at the snake, only to go clean through the beast. "Fight me!" Natsu shouted as Brain appeared before him, holding a bloody and beaten Laki in his hands.

"Catch." Brain threw Laki over to him and Natsu caught her.

Laki reached up and rubbed his cheek. "Natsu... how could you let this happen?" Her hand dropped as the life left her appeared around him and died from their various wound, all asking Natsu the same question. "Make it stop..." He looked up at Brain and growled before sprinting forward.

"You bastard!" He threw his fist and punched straight through Brain. The body shimmered and morphed into Laki's. "No, no, no!" He tried to pull out but Laki held him in place.

"You... did... this..." She gasped before falling over, dead.

"What have I done?" Tears fell down the side of his face as a dark mist entered his body. "Laki is dead..." His eyes opened and they had a dark gleam to them. "This is their fault..."

"I can fix your mistake..." Natsu looked up as Brain reappeared. "But you will have to serve me."

With Richard

Hoteye stood as Midnight fell over. "No... there's no way you can beat me."

"Those who possess the stronger ideology will always win." The reformed dark wizard said back. "My friend Jura said that to me."

"I won't lose..." Midnight pushed himself up to his knees. "If I do, father will abandon me..." He forced himself to his his feet as his body glowed beofre fading away. "I will not lose!"

"You can't hide! Oh yeah!" Richard snapped his eyes open and the world turned into a thermal camera. "My Heavens Eye sees through all in its path!" He turned around and raised his hand. "Liquid Ground!"

Midnight reappeared as the ground pushed up as if to swallow him. He jumped out of the way and bagan running behind buildings. "I have to prove myself to him... if I don't, he'll leave me."

Richard waved his hand again and the ground under Midnight exploded, launching him into the air. "The Oraciōn Seis will end on this day."

With Gray and Others

"Laki!" The ice wizard called out as the three saw her getting dragged by the hair by Brain.

"Let her go!" Lucy shouted.

"I'm out.. of magic..." Laki groaned. "But other... than that... I'm fine..."

"Hey, guy's..." The three looked over as Rose crawled after Laki. "Could use... some help here..."

"Lady Rose is still alive." Jura said, the other two confused by the proper title Jura gave her.

"This guys... trying to take Laki." Rose reached Laki and Brain blasted her away with his staff.

"The Six Demons have been reduced to three." Brain said. "We've been chopped in half. I'm taking this one with me to make her a new member of the Seis."

"Looks like Laki's destructive past has come back to haunt her." Gray said. "Always thought Natsu would be their target, not her."

"Do you really think you can get her to follow your orders!?" Lucy asked.

"Once Nirvana has bathed her heart in darkness, she will gladly follow my command." Brain said back. "Our goals will become intertwined."

"Like I'd do that." With that little strength she had, Laki sank her teeth into Brains hand,

"You ungrateful bitch!" Brain shouted before slamming her down on the ground. "You should consider this an honor!"

"I can't move..." Laki grabbed her leg in pain.

"She's still suffering from the snake bite." Jura observed.

"Where the heck is Wendy?" Lucy asked. "And for that matter, where's Natsu and Happy?"

"They can handle themselves." Gray said. "Right now, we need beat this guy and stop this thing."

"Is that so?" Brin looked up as his body glowed in a green aura. "You'll stop Nirvana? Try your best, but you'd best hurry. After all, we're quickly approaching the Cait Shelter guild."

All four wizards stared in shock at the target. "That's... my guild..." Rose said, having landed near Lucy. "Why are you going there!?"

"What is your plan for them?" Jura asked, making Brain chuckled. "Why are you targeting Roses guild?"

"I am to turn the world on its head." Brain explained. "This super reversal magic will turn a light guild into a dark one. Oh, the things we shall see. The horrors that await us."

"We're not gonna let that happen." Gray said as Jura stepped forward, the power resonating from the Saint scaring him.

"You still haven't answered my question." Jura said ominously. "What is your plan?"

Brain laughed at the question. "You hold no power over me! I hold the reigns of light and darkness! Why should I tell you anything, unless you grovel before me and beg for your mercy."

Jura stepped forward, unintimidated. "What a bothersome fool. He's far to delusional to even talk properly."

"You hear me! I told you to kneel!" Green energy pooled around his staff before Jura raised his hand and sent boulders flying at Brain, shocking the others. "His power... incredible."

"Stand up." Jura ordered. "Until you've spit out the reason for targeting Caith Shelter, I won't allow you to rest."

"I guess this guy really is powerful..." Gray mumbled in a panic.

"Yeah, he is." Lucy nodded vigorously.

"Iron Rock Jura is one of the Ten Wizard Saints." Laki said as she backed up against a building. "Like master Makarov."

"I see..." Brain said with a smile as he stood up. "I'm a bit surprised... seems the title of Wizard Saint isn't just for show."

"I know for a fact that there are dozens of other guilds closer than Cait Shelter." Jura said back. "To target one so far out of your way, it give the allure of intention.

Brain raised his staff and green energy swirled around the skull. "What good are answers to the dead?" He pointed the staff forward and the orb glowed. "Dark Rondo!" A stream of green energy shot out of the orb and flew straight towards Jura.

Stone pillars shot out of the ground and blocked the attack as Jura glowed gold. "Iron Rock Wall!"

"That was a little scary..." Lucy said. Brain ran behind the Saint and pointed his staff at him.

"Dark Capriccio!" A new stream of dark magic, this one with red spirals, shot out of the staff. Jura waved his hand and a pillar bent and blocked the attack. "Utterly useless! The Dark Capriccio pierces through all. It shall easily tear through that!" The beam drilled though the stone and almost hit Jura. But he bent the rock and sent the blast went upwards.

Jura raised his hand chunks of stone flew towards Brain and hit the dark wizard repeatedly before burrying him in them. "Supreme King Rock Crush!" Jura clapped his hands together and the pile exploded, sending Brain to the ground.

'Now I see why Lyon respects him.' Gray though. "He did it! Jura just took out the leader of the Oraciōn Seis!"

"We won!" Lucy cheered.

Brain merely chuckled at their enthusiasm, catching their attention. "You might have beaten me... but can you stop him?" A pillar flame shot off the roof of the command tower before curving down and landing in front of them. The flames died down and Natsu stood up, a wicked smile on his face.

The others stared him confused. He was on a vehicle, but he wasn't sick. "Natsu, are you... okay?" Lucy asked.

"Never felt better." He held out his hand and blasted Lucy with a ball of fire, sending her crashing to the ground.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Gray shouted. "How could you do that!?"

"It was easy!" Natsu laughed back. "She's absolutely useless without her spirits and since she has no magic, she's useless."

"Gray, I fear Natsu has been affected by Nirvana." Jura said.

"Indead he has." Brain chuckled. "He is my newest puppet, a true dragon slayer."

"Come on, let's dance." Natsu waved his hands to taunt the two males.

"Sorry Natsu, but this is for your own good. Ice-Make: Cannon!" Gray summoned a cannon of ice and fired it. Natsu lit himself on fire and tanked the blast, turning the ice into steam. He raced through the steam and punched Gray in the gut before kicking him in the back of the head, sending him to the ground.

"Pathetic." Natsu mumbled as Jura sent a pillar of stone his way. Natsu jumped up and shot flames out of his feet, sending him flying towards the wizard Saint. "Fire Dragon Sword Horn!" He crashed into the man and drove him into a wall. "I thought you were stronger than this!" Natsu pulled his fist back and unleashed flurry of punches, bruising the Saint. "You can take it can't you?!"

"Leave him alone..." Natsu looked over as Laki pushed herself up against a building.

"Cobra..." Natsu stepped away from the Saint and walked over. "How dare you kill Laki..."

"Cobra?" Laki asked.

"He's under some kind of illusion." Lucy guessed as she held her gut. "He thinks you're dead."

"Natsu..." Laki's eyes teared up as Natsu walked forward. "I'm going to save you..." Laki pushed herself forward and limped towards Natsu.

"Save me!?" Natsu asked as he lit his fist on fire. "That's rich coming from a dark wizard! Save me from what?"

"Yourself... You... you risked your life when I almost gave my life... now it's time for me to do the same..." Laki reached Natsu and the two stared at each other.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Natsu lit his body on fire, singeing her hair.

"It's me, Natsu." Laki grabbed the back of his head, pulled him in, and kissed him. The flames died down as the two continued the liplock before separating for air. "I love you, Natsu... please, come back to me!"

Natsu blinked and the illusion faded away. "Laki...you're alive?" Natsu stared at her as a black mist escaped him and he fell unconscious.

"Its about damn time you told him." Gray said as he and Lucy willed themselves up.

"A simple action... that's all it took..." Brain stared in disbelief as a mark faded on his face. "Midnight... you must endure. The last of the six cannot fall. If the last of them fall, he will..." He closed his eyes and fell unconscious.

"He who?" Jura asked, holding his head.

"Hey, did a line on his face just disappear?" Gray asked.

"Don't say things like that." Lucy asked. "I'll get nightmares..."

"Guys!" All turned as Wendy, Carla and Happy ran over.

"Natsu!" Happy shouted once he saw his friend. "What happened?"

"Nirvana changed him." Jura explained. "But Miss Laki saved him."

"How?" Happy asked, making Laki blush.

"Can we talk about this later?" Carla spoke up. "Right now, this thing is headed straight for our guild."

"Don't worry, it's alright now." Gray turned to Brain, and Wendy followed him. "Laki already beat the snake charmer over there."

"From what we can gather, this Brain guy has been the one controlling Nirvana." Lucy explained. "And now that he's out cold, this city should stop any moment."

"It doesn't sit well with me." Carla said. "You couldn't find out why he was aiming for Cait Shelter?"

"Before we could ask, Natsu attacked us." Gray explained. "But in the end, I think it's just because that's what villains do."

Jura stared at Brain as the last words the dark wizard said. "There are still some lingering concerns, so let's end this now."

"Ugh..." Rose groaned as she rolled on to her back. "Make the pain stop."

"Rose, what's wrong?" Wendy asked as she ran over.

"Cobra poisoned her." Laki explained.

"So why aren't you sick?" Carla asked.

"That Brain guy said something about me merging his power..." Laki said back, holding her leg. "You had to be there."

"Speaking of Brain, didn't Hoteye say he was controling Nirvana from the kings room?" Gray asked. No one asked why Hoteye told them, because they assumed that Nirvana affected him. "We can stop Nirvana once we get there."

"I'll carry Natsu." Laki said picking up the object of her affection. "Hey, Lucy, why are you two wearing matching outfits?"

With Hoteye

"While i sleep, I have many dreams..." Midnight pulled himself out of the hole he was in. "I know you do, too. And nightmares." A smile crossed his face as an invisible blast hit Richard, making him scream in pain. "Magic doesn't hurt me. See?"

'His wounds are gone?' Richard thought in a panic.

"Father's a skilled wizard, but my power surpasses him." Midnight said as Hoteye screamed again beofre dropping to this knees.

'My brother... my prayer... was to see you again... just once again...' Hoteye hit the ground, defeated.

With Brain

"The fifth has faded..." Anither line on his face vanished. "Midnight... you can't fall... that is my prayer..."

Control Tower

"What's going on?" Gray asked as he, Lucy and Jura looked around. "There's nothing here... a control panel, a lever, nothing. I thought if beat Brain, this thing would stop."

"Me too." Lucy nodded. "But since Brain is out cold, we can't ask him. So how do we stop Nirvana?"

Wendy, having healed Rose, kneeled down as Natsu's face turned green. "What's wrong with Natsu? There's no poison in him, so why is he sick?"

"Natsu doesn't do so good on vehicles." Laki explained.

"That's just sad." Rose shook her head.

"My stomach... wants to leave... my body..." Natsu groaned.

"It's motion sickness?" Wendy asked, making Laki and Happy nodded. "I think I have a spell for that." Her hands glowed blue as she grabbed Natsu's head. "Troia." His face turned blue with the same glow beofre he opened his eyes.

"I'm back!" Natsu shouted as he jumped up and down.

"I'm glad it worked." Wendy said.

"Think you can teach it to me!?" Natsu asked.

"It's a sky magic spell, so you won't be able to learn it..." She mumbled.

Natsu looked around and found the other three. He walked over to them, catching their attention as he dropped to his knees and bowed to them. "I am SO sorry!"

Lucy and Gray stared at him. For as long as they known him, they had never once seen him apologize, for anything. It was kinda creepy. "It-its okay, Natsu." Lucy said back. "But, how did you get turned?"

"He made me see things..." Natsu explained. "Horrible things. Like... Laki dying... over and over again. And then I... I killed her."

"Hey Laki, aren't you gonna say something?" Rose asked, making the purplette blush.

"Um, Natsu..." Laki walked over, and she noticed a blush on his face as well. "Do you... remember everything while under Nirvana's control?"

"Y-yeah." He nodded. "Listen, I don't know much about this 'love' thing, but I'm willing to give it a shot." He reached out and grabbed Laki's hands. "For you, Laki."

Tears filled her eyes as she wrapped around him and kissed him again. "You llllliiiiikkkkeeee her!" Happy teased, making them stop the kiss. "So Natsu, what was it like being evil?"

"I don't know..." Natsu confessed. "It felt kinda, familiar."

"Can we stop all the lovey dovey stuff and focus on the big picture?" Rose asked. "We still need to stop this thing before it reaches Cait Shelter."

"I don't get it..." Lucy mumbled. "This is where Hot- er, Richard told us Brain was controlling this city. Was he lying?"

"No, I believe him to be honest." Jura spoke up.

"There is a much more important question that needs to be answered." Carla said. "Doesn't anyone else realize something weird? There are no controls to be seen, the throne is empty, and the one controlling it has been defeated. So why is this city still function?"

"This thing has an autopilot?" Gray asked as Nirvana took another steep. "But that means it could be programmed to fire as well."

"Our guild is... is in trouble..." Wendy teared up at the thought of her guilds destruction.

"Don't worry. That's not gonna happen." Natsu told her as he and Laki stood in front of her. "We're not gonna let this thing hurt your friends. We're gonna stop this thing for sure." Laki nodded as Nirvana took another step.

With Midnight

Midnight turned and walked away from Hoteye's unconscious body. "Nirvana will not fall as long as I exist."

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you get the concept of romance through Natsu's thick skull. A lot of people have been comparing about the lack of romance, but I had this idea since the beginning of this fic and I think it came together really well.

Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.