Chapter 48
Impact Aversion
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
"Magic"
Flashback
Location / Date / Time Skip
The two Erza's slashed with their weapons before they were forced apart by the shockwave they created. "We might look and sound alike, but do we also fight the same way?" Knightwalker asked.
"I'm curious about that, myself." Erza said back. "Let's find out, shall we?" Both launched forward with a roar, shaking the room apart even more as they clashed.
Extalia
To call the land of the cats full of tension would be an understatement. The entire populous stared as Wendy, Rose, and Carla walked through the city. And they weren't exactly subtle with their jeers about the three girls either. "Please let me speak to the queen." Wendy said to the mob. "Extalia is in great danger."
"Excuse me, coming through!" Nadi shouted, hopping up and down through the crowd before reaching the three. "You three are forbidden to be here! Fallens and humans will only bring trouble to Extalia!"
"Trouble is coming wither you like it or not!" Rose said back. "If you want to survive, you'll take us to the queen. If not everyone here will die."
"Just how did you escape Sir Nichiya and the royal guards?" Nadia asked.
"The Royal Army turned them all into a giant lacrima." Carla said plainly. The citizens stared at her in shock before turning to each other... and bursting into laughter and started mocking Wendy and the two cats with her.
"It's the truth!" The petite girl shouted. "They're planing to attack any second!" The citizens payed her no mind and started praising the queen and her Magic. They just kept laughing while Nadi started shaking in fear.
"Hey morons!" Rose shouted. "If they found a way to turn living beings from Earthland into lacrima, why wouldn't they turn it on something all ready in this world!?"
"Shut up, ya dirty fallen!" One cat shouted before throwing a rock at her, hitting her in the face.
"Rose!" Wendy shouted in concern before the mob started throwing more rocks at the three, praising their queen at the same time. The three covered themselves up as Wendy begged them to stop. The cats ignored her while Nadi stood still. "You can do what ever you want to me, but leave Carla and Rose alone! They're the same as you!"
The cats once again ignored her and the rocks pelted them even more, forcing the girl to cover her feline friends as the mob started chanting 'go away.'
Lacrima Island
Gajeel brought his hands up in defense, but was still forced back by the massive sword. He eventually came to a quick stop, still blocking the blade while looking at Pantherlily. "Being able to stop a sword that can crush iron with your bare arm... Earthland's magic is impressive."
"Sorry pal, but an Iron Dragon's scales aren't your run of the mill iron." The Earthlander said back. "Now you answer me; you're one of those cats, aren't you? So why are you trying to wipe them out?"
Pantherlily merely glared out his helmets visor at the man. "Yeah..." Happy nervously spoke up from the side. "You're an Exceed like me. So, do you wanna split a fish with me?"
The large cat merely hoisted his sword up. "That's all ancient history now." He simply said before slamming it back down. "That place is nothing but a pack of lies!"
'A pack of lies?' Happy asked himself. 'What's he talking about?'
"Looks like you got kicked out, didn't you?" Gajeel asked. "I know what that's like." He thought back to the other Dragon Slayers and their cats and his quest to find his own. A smirk appeared on his face as the sword began to crack. "You're fine with me! But you're still gonna be my cat!"
"WHAT!?" Happy asked in shock of the statement.
"He just destroyed Bustermarm!?" The armored cat in shock, missing Gajeel jumped off the lacrima and cracked him in the face.
"But not until you learn who's stronger than you, pussycat." He said, as they started fighting in the air before the armored cat got sent to the ground by a solid fist. "All three of them are gonna wish they had a cat like mine!" Gajeel shouted with a sick grin on his face. "Iron Dragon Roar!" He let out a torrent of metal shards that destroyed a chunk of the island.
The blast actually knocked Happy into the air, who just stared at the laughing Gajeel. "Gajeel's really scary when he's happy!"
The dust settled and Pantherlily stood up, his armor destroyed by the blast, before throwing his cloak off. "There we go." Gajeel smirked, cracking his knuckles. Pantherlily then rocketed forward and punched Gajeel in the face. "So that's how you wanna play, huh!?" He asked before throwing his own fist.
Royal Castle
Gray stood over an unconscious Sugarboy, holding his ice key by the teeth. "Told you I can make anything I want, chinstrap." He said.
"Gray!" The maker mage looked over his shoulder to see Natsu running over to him. "What's the big idea, leaving me and Laki behind like that!?" He asked as he reached his rival.
"Sorry. I was busy dealing with this chump." Gray motioned to the blonde.
"And that's another thing!" Natsu reached down and started shaking the captain. "What happened to the key!?"
"Natsu, just calm down and look over here for a second." Gray said. "Things are starting to go our way now, but we're not in the clear just yet. Hold up, where's Laki?"
"She told me to go on ahead." He said back.
With Laki
"Come on, pull!" Laki begged as Coco tried pulling no her out.
"I'm trying!" The other girl said before falling backwards, fake rabbit ears in hand.
With Natsu and Gray
"Listen, Natsu. With this key, we can save every one of our friends." Gray said, holding the key up.
"Huh?" The pinkette asked back.
"The king plans to blast the lacrima on the island with the cannon so it'll move and crash into Extalia." Gray said. "But if we can change its trajectory, we can blast the crystal with pure Dragon Slayer magic and turn everyone back to normal."
"I don't get it, but we can turn everyone back right?" Natsu asked.
"The cannon is straight ahead." Gray said.
"Then let's go!" Natsu cheered.
"But there's just one problem." Gray said. "We don't have a way to open that room."
"Then we just break the door down!" Natsu shouted back.
"I don't think that'll work." The ice wizard said. "They said it's made from anti-magic lacrima. So we can't just bust it down."
"Well, we need to try." Natsu said back.
"And if it doesn't work, what then?" Gray asked before metal footsteps caught their attention. Both looked over to see Erza Knightwalker walking over to them.
"So... this is where... you were hiding." She said between pants. "And you also... have the key."
"Erza!" Natsu cheered.
"No, wait." Gray studied her body and went wide eyed. "That's the Edolas version."
"No way... Erza lost!?" Natsu asked in shock. The red head ran forward and punched both in the gut, knocking both wizards out and breaking the key.
Down The Hall
Knightwalker dragged Natsu and Gray forward by the ropes holding them. "Captain Knightwalker, you're okay." One guard in front of the large door said.
"You idiot, does she look okay!?" The one next to him asked. "Do you need medical, captain?"
"No, I don't." She said.
"Who are these two?" The second guard asked.
"The keys to the Dragon Chain Cannon." The captain answered.
"Wait, what are you talking about?" The first guard asked.
"Is his majesty inside?" E. Erza asked.
"Of course, please go ahead." Both guards moved to the side and the door opened for the red head.
"All preparations are set." E. Erza said as the door opened from the ground up. "Eternal magic power is right in front of us."
Desert Cliff
Lucy Ashely stared out over the sandy terrain in annoyance. "Jeeze, how slow can this guy be?" She asked in annoyance.
"You do it man, you're her favorite." Gray Surge told Natsu Dragion as the two stood behind the blonde.
"Yeah, I guess." The driver said back before timidly stepping forward. "So, why are we out here in the desert? Ya know, curiosity and all."
"We're waiting for someone, that's why." The blonde said matter of factly.
"So, do you have some plan in the works?" Surge asked as he wrapped his arm around E. Natsu's shoulder.
"Yep." She nodded. "But if I wanna get the others in on it, I gotta get the all the reliable info I can."
"In on what?" E. Gray asked.
"This isn't gonna be good, huh?" The driver asked.
"So what's the deal with everyone else?" The blonde asked, turning around.
"Given that you said you had some kind of plan, they're all pretty nervous." E. Gray said. "Ever since you meet those wizards from the other world, you've been more irritable than ever."
"Yeah, it's been way scary." E. Natsu added, irritating the blonde.
"You wanna stay alive, you better take that stuff back now!" She shouted, scaring the two of them behind a rock.
"We're sorry!" Both said at the same time.
"Not at the same time!" E. Lucy shouted.
Royal City
Erza Knightwalker walked through the large door, dragging Natsu and Gray behind her. The room was filled with soldiers and the king and behind them was the Dragon Chain Cannon. "Erza! You've gotten the key back, correct?" King Faust asked.
"Unfortunetly, the key was destroyed." She said back.
"What!?" Faust asked furious as the captain threw Gray forward.
"This one can create a new key for us." She said.
"Not happening!" Gray said back.
"And this is?" Faust asked.
"An Earthland wizard, and a friend of the Dragon Slayers." The redhead explained.
"Is he related to how the lacrima in the plaza disappeared?" The king asked.
"Correct." She nodded back.
"Let him go, and force him to create this key." Faust ordered.
Obeying her king, Knightwalker swung the sword and sliced the ropes holding Gray. "Up, now." She ordered, holding her blade to Natsu's neck. "Don't try doing something strange." Gray cluchted his arm as he stood up in pain. "Turn on the Dragon Chain Cannon." She ordered, pressing the blade against the pinkettes neck.
With no other options available, Gray turned to the Cannon. "You will activate the Dragon Chain Cannon, now." She ordered.
'Gotta admit, this isn't what I was expecting.' Gray thought. 'This isn't gonna be as easy as I thought.'
"No dilly dallying." Knightwalker warned, the cold steel still against Natsu.
"I don't have a choice, do I?" He mumbled before creating the key. Every soldier stared at the sight in amazement. "Quit it, I'm not some trained monkey, ya know." He walked forward and reached the keyhole, placing the key in it before turning it.
'I've got one chance.' He thought as the cannon started to glow orange. 'I gotta make sure I hit the Lacrima square on, otherwise everyone in Fairy Tail is done for. Not to mention the innocent lives we'd lose.' The stone faces' eyes started blaring out beams of orange light.
"Yes! The time as come!" Faust cheered as Knightwalker stared in amazement.
The whole city was bathed in the glow, scaring every single civilian in it. The glow then died as the whole castle started to move and shake. 'Hold on, where are the controls?' Gray asked, looking around as the king laughed. 'There's no way to aim this thing.'
An orange beam shot up out of the castle straight into the sky. "Fire at once!" Faust ordered.
"Do it, Natsu!" Knightwalker shouted before letting go of the Dragon Slayer, showing the scar under her false eye.
"You got it." Natsu grinned before bursting into flames, burning the rope off of him. Everyone stared in shock as the flames gathered around his hands. "Fire Dragon Wing Attack!" He spun around and wiped out a bunch of the troops.
"What is happening?" Faust asked in shock before his hands were clasped behind his back and a blade was at his neck.
"Stop the firing at once!" E. Erza shouted.
"You damn traitor!" The king growled as the guards stared in shock. "What's this all about, Erza?"
Erza started glowing in a bright light before she was back in her normal outfit. "I am Erza Scarlet of Fairy Tail."
"My bad." Gray said. "I never should have doubted you, Erza."
"I can't believe the fell for plan 'D'!" Natsu cheered. "D for deception!"
"Aim the Cannon at the lacrima, right now!" Erza ordered.
"Fire the damn thing right now!" Faust ordered.
"What do we do?" One solider asked. "How dare you sink to taking a hostage."
"So what?" Gray asked. "We'll do what ever it takes to save our friends."
"Just hurry up and do it!" Erza ordered.
"Do it! We can't have a kingdom without a king." One soldier said.
"Forget about me!" Faust shouted. "Eliminate the exceeds and ensure everlasting magic power!"
"Change the trajectory at once!" The soldier shouted. "Aim for the lacrima instead!"
"Buffoons!" The king shouted. "One life is not worth losing eternal magic!"
Erza caught a glimmer of something above them and stared at the familiar face covered in a cloak. "Scarlet!" Knightwalker shouted, slamming her spear down on Erza. The Earthlander blocked with her blade, launching the king away.
"Knightwalker!" The king cheered as the soldiers reset the target for the island.
"No, we were so close!" Gray growled in anger.
"I thought you were out cold, Knightwalker." Erza said.
"I'm not so easily beaten!" The captain said, pushing forward. "Our fight hasn't ended yet, Scarlet!"
"Fire!" Faust shouted with a grin as Cannon launched its hook right at the lacrima.
"The heck is going on?" Gajeel asked the island shook.
"The Dragon Chain Cannon has been activated." Pantherlily smirked.
"No, they failed?" Gajeel asked in shock as the lacrima started glowing.
"Now smash it into Extalia at once!" Faust ordered.
"We can't let this happen!" Natsu shouted before the wall of the chamber burst open and a Legion flew in.
"Natsu!" Laki shouted from on the beast as it landed. "Get on, everyone!"
"Laki!? What have they done to you!?" Natsu asked.
"I'm up here, silly." She said, popping up on the beasts head.
"How is this Earthlander riding a legion?" Faust asked in shock as the three climbed onto the beast.
"Because this is one belongs to me." Coco bragged as the beast took off.
"Please tell me we can stop that thing." Natsu said.
"We have to try." Laki said.
Scarlet and Knightwalker glared at each other as the best flew higher and higher. "Scarlett..." The captain growled before gripping her hair and slicing it off with a knife. "Quit standing around! Prepare the Second Magical Warfare unit at once! Do not let them get away!"
"Yes ma'am!" The soldiers said as they followed.
"I will be going too." Faust said. "Begin activation of the Dorma Anim."
The whole room went wide eyed in shock. "Sir, that's a forbidden spell." One soldier spoke up. "Article 23 of the kingdom constitution says it's forbidden under ANY circumstance-"
"That's an order! Do it!" The king shouted.
Lacrima Island
The island began moving through the air with enough force to create a burning ring around the front of it. "Is this thing really moving?" Gajeel asked in shock.
"This is all going according to plan." The cat captain smirked. "We'll hit Extalia and crush the pathetic kingdom, creating unlimited magical power."
"That's the craziest thing I've ever heard." Gajeel said as Happy started tearing up.
"Why... why would anyone do something so horrible?" The cat asked.
"Damn it! There's no time to smash everyone back to normal!" Gamely cursed.
Below them, Natsu and the others were flying as fast as thy could to the island. "Hurry!" Natsu shouted. "We can't let it hit or else everyone will die!"
The large beast smashed into the rock head first and started pushing. "Don't let up, Legiy!" Coco shouted. The creature pushed harder, but the rock still kept moving towards the island.
"This isn't going to work!" Gray shouted. "We got here to late and the rocks built up to much speed!"
"Then we die with the rest trying to save them!" Ezra said back.
"Just hang on guys! We'll save you!" Laki shouted.
Natsu ran up the beasts neck with a scream and started pushing as well. "No ones dying on my watch!"
"Natsu!" Happy shouted as he flew to his partner. "Sorry I..."
"What?" Natsu asked back. "We'll talk later. Just help me!"
Happy stared at his friend in wonder before steeling himself. "Aye!"
Gajeel and Pantherlily watched the scene before the Dragon Slayer smirked. "Okay, ceasefire, fur ball." Gajeel said, sprinting towards the edge.
"You would flee mid battle!?" Pantherlily shouted.
"Don't be stupid." Gajeel said as he jumped off the ledge. "First I'm gonna stop this thing, then I'm gonna kick your ass!"
"Impossible!" The captain shouted. "You can't stop this! Once it hits, you'll die!"
"That ain't happening." The Dragon Slayer smirked back. "Once this is over, I'll drag you back to Fairy Tail and make you my cat." Pantherlily looked at him in confusion as the island reached the edge of Extalia.
"They're still gonna hit!" Gray shouted as the others joined in the effort to stop the impact.
"If you can complain, you can push harder!" Laki said back.
"Just push harder, ice-prick!" Natsu shouted as the island reached Extalia, only for them to push back. "This isn't the end, ya hear me!?"
Ezra glanced over to see Gajeel reached her side. "Gajeel! Why wasn't everyone turned back to normal!?"
"Big black cat kept punching me in the face, that's why!" He shouted back.
"There's no time to turn everyone back to normal, anyway." Gray said. "Just push!"
"If we don't stop it now, everyone we know will die!" Laki shouted.
Pantherlily reached the edge and looked down to see Coco among the Earthlanders. "Coco! Why are you here!?"
"Lily!" The girl cheered. "I came to my senses! I don't want an infinite amount of magic. I'd rather have an infinite amount of smiles."
"What gobbledygook are you spouting off!?" The captain shouted. "Get out of there before you're crushed to death!"
"Listen, pal. There's one thing you need to know about us." Natsu said. "We don't quit! We're gonna save everyone even if we have to die to do it!"
"Aye, sir!" Happy added.
The ground behind them began to crack and fall apart as Marl and Lucky watched in horror. "What is that?" Happy' mom asked.
"No clue, but if it screws up my crops, all hell's gonna break loose!" The white cat said back.
Extalia
Royal Castle
"Its true, I'm afraid." An Exceed soldier said to a group of elder ones before him. "The humans have latched this 'Dragon Chain Cannon' on to the island holding the lacrima and are driving it into Extalia to be used as a bomb. Also, it appears that Sir Nichiya and the royal guard have turned into a lacrima and are being held hostage as we speak. Extalia as we know it is in danger."
"This is unacceptable!" Mysdroy shouted.
"I knew humans hated us, but to sink to this level." Muganto mumbled.
"Also, a human and two fallen have appeared in town warning everyone to evacuate." The soldier added. "The crowd around them have started to hurl rocks at them. What shall we do, my queen?"
The large robed figure on the throne stood up. "I shall handle this myself."
The decision shocked the whole room. "Your majesty, you can't mean that." Martam protested.
"What is your plan?" Muganto asked.
"This charade has been played out." The queen said.
Back in the city, the citizens watched in horror as the glowing crystal grew closer to them. Many thought the humans were insane for doing this, and thought the queen would take care of them in the blink of an eye. "We're too late..." Rose mumbled in disappointment.
"It's not, otherwise we'd all be dead now." Carla pointed out.
"I'm sorry Carla, Rose." Wendy said on the verge of tears. "We tried our best, but we couldn't do anything."
"We aren't done yet, you two!" Carla said back. "We can't just give up!" She marched over to the mob now focused on the lacrima. "Everyone, listen to me!"
"Get out of here, fallen!" One member shouted before tossing a rock at her. She braced for impact, only for sir Nadi to take the hit for her.
"You shouldn't throw rocks... you know..." The long necked cat said. "Someone might... get hurt."
"That was the point of throwing at her, right?" The green cat asked back.
"What's the matter with you all!?" Nadi shouted back. "These three risked everything to try and warn us, but we didn't listen to them and now look at the mess we're in!" The whole mob turned on him, shouting about the queen. "Please, listen to me..."
"It's fine, Nadi." The black cat looked over to see the elders and the queen in town.
"Queen Shagotte!" Nadi shouted in a panic. The whole mob turned to their queen and bowed to her, leaving Carla and Rose the only Exceeds standing.
'She looks like...' Rose thought before glancing back at Carla. 'No way... it can't be...'
"Everyone please, this isn't the time for worship." Shagotte said. "Calm down and listen to me carefully." The mob started whispering about what they were about to see. "Extalia is on the verge of destruction, and this fate may be unavoidable. Which is why I've come to a decision." The entire mob was once again whispering as Shagotte discarded her robes, confusing all who watched her.
"The decision to tell the truth. I am just another Exceed. No more of a god or a queen than any of you. I have no power to wipe anyone from existence." Her one wing popped up and shocked everyone even more. "I barely have enough power to fly myself. Exceeds magic power is show by our wings, so I suppose you know what this means. I'm sorry for lying to all of you."
She looked up from the ground at the two Earthland Exceeds and Wendy. "Your names are Carla, Wendy and Rose, correct? I humbly apologize for everything that's happened. I am solely responsible, no one else."
"What do you mean?" Wendy asked.
"Not true." Mejeer spoke up. "The blame lies solely on us who conjured up this idea of a queen in the first place. We Exceeds are weak by our very nature. Once, we were horribly mistreated by the humans. So badly in fact, that in order to keep ourselves safe, we fooled the humans into thinking we were divine beings.
"And in order for there to be a solid foundation, we had to make everyone in Extalia believe in it as well." Mysdroy added. "At first, no human believed us, but slowly they learned to fear our divine queen."
"But even then, the power of a god was a fabrication, known only by a few individuals." Muganto spoke up. "Even the ability to 'kill humans to keep the populace in check' was all a bluff. We have no more control over life and death than any other being. However, we do have Shagotte one real power. She has the gift of clairvoyance and can peer into the future. She can see how someone will die and we used that to appear like she was ordering their death."
The populace didn't want to believe anything they were being told. "That doesn't matter..." Carla said. "Powers or not, you ordered the deaths of my friends!"
"She did no such thing." Muganto said back. "The king probably said that so they could use-"
"Be quite!" Carla shouted back. "You planted fake memories in my head and used me and my friends as puppets, and ordered us to kill the Dragon Slayers from birth!"
"I apologize..." Shagotte mumbled.
"No, that's a misunderstanding!" Nadi spoke up. "If you just allow me to explain-"
"I don't care about why you did it!" Carla shouted.
"Carla, calm down." Rose said, putting her paw on her friends shoulder.
"How are you not angry about this!?" The white cat asked. "There's no justification for what they've done to us!"
"Miss Rose, it's fine." Shagotte said as she unsheathed a sword before tossing the blade at Carla. "Your life's were innocent and we played with them. And you've felt more pain then anyone else." She dropped to her knees and hung her head. "Pass your judgement on me and me alone. As one who's lived in both the human and Exceed worlds, you have the right to it."
"Carla, don't do it." Rose said, only for her friend to pick up the blade. The crowd started bawling for their 'queen' as Carla walked over.
"Everyone leave at once!" The false god bellowed. "I alone will be with Extalia as it dies! You must live on for all of us!"
"Carla! You can't do this!" Wendy shouted.
"You can't undo this Carla! Stop!" Rose begged as the crowd kept crying.
"Everyone, be gone!" Shagotte shouted. "If all of us die, then this will be for nothing!"
Carla raised the blade above her head... before slamming into the ground before the queen. "What's the matter with everyone!?" She shouted, shocking everyone. "This is your homeland, right!? Are you all so incompetent that you can't do anything without someone holding your hand!
"You've scrapped and scratched and lied for survival, and now you just give up! No one cares if you're weak! Once you work together, there's nothing you can't accomplish! Our homeland won't just fade away! It's my home as well! And I won't let it end this way!" She grew her wings and flew towards the lacrima.
"That makes two of us!" Rose shouted, doing the same thing. "So get your heads out of your asses and do something!" Everyone watched in amazement as they started crying at Carla's words.
Another pair opened up and the queen turned to see Nadi prepping for take off. "They're right... I'm going to help them... because this is my home..."
Lacrima Island
"Keep pushing!" Natsu roared as the group pressed against the rock.
"We can't give up!" Laki added.
"Give it everything you've got!" Gray shouted as he and Gajeel kept pushing.
"Use every ounce of strength!" Erza ordered.
Pantherlily looked down from above in disgust of their actions. "The hell is wrong with them? Do they truly belive they can stop this annihilation with pure strength?"
Carla and Rose flew past him and stated pushing against the rock. "Carla!/Rose!" Happy and Laki cheered.
"We're Fairy Tail wizards!" Rose shouted. "We don't just abandon our friends!"
"We can't just let our homes vanish without a fight!" Carla added.
A scream caught their attention as Nadi crashed into the rock head first. "Rubberneck?" Rose asked. "Why are you here?"
"Because I'm going to protect my home too." Nadi answered. "Your words inspired me." Bright lights that were the Exceeds shot out of the city and flew towards the rock. "And I'm not alone."
Wendy was carried by one the citizens as they spouted off about protecting their home for themselves. "Everyone, get ready!" The Dragon Slayer shouted as they neared the rock.
In the back of the flock, Shagotte flew with her single wing. "Shagotte, you shouldn't be here!" Muganto shouted.
"I have to." She said back. "If my people are willing to die for there country, then so must I."
Down on the ground, Marl and Lucky watched up in amazement. "Am I seeing things, Marl?" The white cat asked.
"Everyone in Extalia is working together..." She mumbled in wonderment.
One by one, the cats crushed into the rock and started pushing with everything they had, but Pantherlily looked on only in disgust.
"Have you forgotten our laws, Lily?" Mejeer asked the robed black cat, holding a wrapped child.. "Why on Edolas would you save a human child?"
"He would have died if I didn't." Pantherlily explained.
"Do know what you've done, Lily?" Muganto asked. "You should have just put out of its misery."
"I could never have done that." He said back.
"As per our divine queens orders, you are hereby banished from Extalia as a fallen!" Mysdroy declared.
"No, you can't mean that." He looked towards Shagotte for hope, only for her to hang her head.
Outside the city, Pantherlily looked back one last time before turning towards the child. "Don't blame yourself. It's my peoples fault for being so stubborn. Now, let's get you back home."
Shagottes wing gave out and she started falling towards the ground, forcing Lily to catch her. "Lily..." She mumbled as the elders gasped in shock while Gajeel smirked.
"So, have you finished lying to everyone, your majesty?" He asked.
"Forgive me... I..." She mumbled before feeling tears on her face.
"So have I..." She looked to see the armored cat crying. "No matter how much I tried to hate Extalia I just couldn't do it. It's my home no matter what." Shagotte looked up in shame. "But it's all over now. Even with the entire Exceed population working together, there's no hope of stoping this. I'm sorry, forgive me! I could have stoped them, but I didn't even try!"
Shagotte brushed his hand, making him look down. "You can't give up yet. You have to have faith in them."
"Everyone! Push!" Natsu roared as the whole group pushed against the island with everything they had, forcing the lacrima back.
"They actually did it..." Pantherlily mumbled in shock. Suddenly, the island was bathed in a blue light that spiraled into the sky, knocking everyone off of it.
The light died down and everyone looked to wards the island, only to find the lacrima gone and the island and chain cannon crumbling away. "The whole things gone..." Gray mumbled.
"No, everyone..." Laki whispered, thinking the worst.
"It's fine. They're all back in Earthland." Pantherlily looked over his shoulder to see Mystogan on top of a legion. "Sorry about the delay, but I had a hard time trying to find a decent Anima portal for the lacrima. Good thing you all gave me the time I needed."
Natsu chuckled at the statement as Happy carried him. "Hold on, does that mean-" Happy started to ask.
"Correct." The robbed man nodded. "The lacrima has passed through the anima and restored everything to normal. Everyone is safe now." Everyone cheered and laughed in joy as Pantherlily kept staring at the Fairy Tail wizard. "Lily, I want to thank for saving my life..." He took off his mask and showed his face. "All those years ago. I'm glad I could return the favor."
"Thank you... my prince." Pantherlily said as the elders took Shagotte from him.
"Our missing prince has finally come home." Coco said crying.
"Hold on, did you just say prince?" Laki asked in shock.
Pantherlily smiled up at the man he saved before gasping in pain as a beam of energy ripped through his chest. "Lily!" The prince shouted as everyone looked on in horror.
As Lily fell to the ground, a horde of legions flew towards them, Knightalker leading the charge with a smoking cannon spear. "We aren't done yet! Destroy everything!"
'Now, you talk about a good bullshit story. Holy shit.' - George Carlin.
It's amazing what you can get people to believe in, isn't it? Thankfully, the truth always comes out, no matter how hard one tries to hide it.
Poll update: 'Surprise' is in the lead with 44 votes with 'Joins with the Exceeds' behind by nine votes. 'Stays behind' has 24 votes with 'Max as partner behind by two votes, 'Warren as partner' has ten and 'Nab as partner' has eight. We're nearing the end of Edolas, so get your votes in now.
Beta read by JBallinR12.