Well hello there! Yeah I'm back. I've got too much free time, okay? It isn't my fault, Plus we're getting into the beef of this arc, so...
Enjoy!
Walking around the city made Keita realize they'd done a pretty firm sweep on the city. Practically no one remained save them, Fairy Tail, and a few other people here and there. At this rate, he wouldn't have anything to do.
"I wonder if we'll be able to maintain this lead..." Keita's ears twitched, and he instinctively turned into a shadow.
The iron club that had attacked him soared right through his chest. Following the direction of the attack, Keita found the source, Elise, standing a little ways away from him. She looked absolutely terrible, with fresh cuts and bruises all over her, not to mention the bandages already hanging off of wounds that had reopened from whatever had happened.
"Hey." he greeted. Elise growled.
"Don't hey me." She said. "We're fighting, one on one. Right now!"
"Oh yeah?" Keita turned to face her completely, pocketing his hands. "Even when you're in such a pitiful state?"
"I can still kick your ass!"
"I'm sure." Keita sighed and rubbed the side of his head. "Truth be told Elise, I'm not interested in fighting you." Elise made a face at this and loosened up visibly.
"What?" Keita knew what he meant, so he looked up at her again.
"I heard what happened." he said. "Someone attacked you guys during the night, right?" Elise nodded, so Keita turned to walk away. "I don't want to hurt you anymore then you already are. So go find someone else to hit."
"I already found someone, though!" Elise shouted, but Keita kept walking. "Hey! I'm talking to you!" Keita kept walking, but a smaller hand grabbed his. He turned back and looked at Elise, who looked pretty defiant as she gripped his hand.
"Yes?" he asked. Elise watched him closely before the grip on his hand tightened.
And he was flipped high over her head and into the ground.
"You're not getting away that easily!" Elise told him as he groaned in pain. "I want to fight you!"
"Why?" Keita hissed. "You already did, and you beat me. I don't understand why we have to go at it again..."
"Because back then I had Nashi's help, it wasn't just you and me." She said, making a face as she bent down and got in his face. "I want a one on one."
"And I don't." Keita replied earnestly. "I'm not going to fight you, Elise."
"Ugh, how does anyone put up with you?!" Elise shouted, grabbing her head and flinging it around as Keita got to his feet and rolled his eyes.
"I could ask you the same thing, princess..."
"What?"
"Nothing." The two watched each other closely before Elise crossed her arms.
"What will it take?" She demanded. "For you to fight with me?" Keita inhaled deeply. This was getting stupid.
"I told you, I'm not going to." He said. "Perhaps if you were not so hurt, and the risks were someone winning something as huge as the Grand Magic Games I'd do as you wish, but I will not. Okay?" Elise uncrossed her arms and her cheeks puffed up in irritation. If she herself was not such a bother, Keita would've found it cute.
"I don't understand you." Elise said flatly. "Where your friends are loud and competitive, you're quiet. Where they get personal, you stay distant. How do you fit in with those people?" Keita shrugged.
"I grew up with them." He answered. "I don't remember a single day going by where I didn't see every single one of them. No matter if they were sick, on vacation, or whatever. They're my family, that's all their is too it."
"Hm, I guess." Elise agreed, turning her gaze to the sky. "Same here. Except I guess I fit in a lot more with my family."
"Your parents loud, annoying and abrasive too?" Keita asked without thinking. Elise swung at him, but it phased through him. "Sorry, slip of the tongue."
"Sure it was, asshole." Elise spat back, taking an offensive stance. "Now let's go. I'm tired of the small talk." Keita face palmed.
"I'm not going to."
"Are too."
"Are not."
"Are too."
"Are not."
"Are too!"
"Are we actually doing this right now?" Keita asked, breaking the cycle with a serious question. Elise raised an eyebrow before she chuckled offhandedly.
"Yeah, I guess." Her chuckle died along with her small smile. "Now, come at me seriously."
"No." Elise growled and swung at him once more, but it didn't have an effect. She swung again and again and again, but Keita remained still as the attacks went right through him. She turned her left arm into a sword and her right into a club, and continued her pointless assault. Keita backed up a bit as she jumped to deliver an attack from above, and stood straight once more.
"Come ooooonnn!" Elise whined, standing up as well. "You're no fun at all!"
"I see no fun in defeating an already wounded warrior. I'm not going to fight you. Perhaps I should just surrender to you, hm?" That struck a nerve, Keita could tell. Although he was unsure why.
"Don't you dare!" Elise shouted. "Michael already did and with you gone, I'll have nobody I really want to fight left!" Keita growled.
"Why do you want to fight me so much?!" He asked. "You already did, and destroyed me quite handily too!" Elise looked away.
"No reason." She said, voice growing soft. "I just want too." Keita made a face as Elise's cheeks went pink.
Wait...
What was she getting at?
She was blushing...
"W-Wait a minute..." Keita said. "Do you...?" Keita didn't get to finish his sentence before an iron club nearly clocked him right in the face, but he managed to bend his back at an odd enough angle to avoid it. He stood back up and glowered at the girl watching him irritably.
"Damn, I thought for sure the blush and look away would've worked." She said, cursing under her breath. Keita took a deep breath to prevent losing his temper.
"You're a real problem, you know that?" Keita demanded, Elise watching him innocently. "I've never...Never met a girl who grated on my nerves more than you."
"Aw, muffin!" Elise said sarcastically, hands on her hips as she smirked at him. "You want me to kiss it better?"
"You're as bad as Nami, jeez..."
"Huh?"
"Nothing." The two watched each other closely. The longer they held each others gaze, the more pissed off Elise looked.
"What will it take?" She asked again, making Keita raise an eyebrow. "What do I have to do to make you fight me? Huh?" Keita pinched the bridge of his nose and slowly counted to ten under his breath. This was insane.
"Look..." He said looking back up. "I don't want to..!"
It felt like a knife went through his forehead.
Keita doubled over and grabbed his head in pain as his previously gone headache reappeared with a vengeance.
"What's the matter?" Elise asked. Keita looked back up.
That was indeed his problem.
The darkness he sensed in Elise was causing his head to hurt. He'd been so close to her for so long he'd forgotten about it until it got bad. He could practically see the black aura around the girl.
He had to know.
"Alright, Elise." Keita said. "I'll fight you..."
"Yes!"
"...On one condition, and when that condition is met I will determine, got it?"
"Fine."
"What the hell is wrong with you?" The anger that flared in Elise's eyes could only be described as, at least from what Keita's father had told him, Hell's fury.
"Pick your next words carefully, Cheney." the girl threatened. "They may be your last." Keita sighed.
"I didn't mean anything like that." he said. "I want to know why whenever I'm near you all I feel is darkness."
"Darkness?"
"You know, negative emotion. Anger, depression, fear, all of this radiates off of you like heat off a fire wizard. So tell me, Elise, why do you radiate such darkness?"
Even though they had been attacked during the night, Damien didn't feel like he was in that bad of a condition. Sure he ached and had a few marks to show for the attack, as well as his clothes being completely destroyed, but he'd survive.
"I'm more interested in finding the bastard that did it to us more than anything..." he muttered under his breath. "Then I'll make them pay."
"I'm sure you will Damien." Xisplate said from his side. "But right now I do believe you have to start catching up to Sabertooth."
"What do it look like I'm going to do?" Damien shot back.
"It looks like you're wandering around aimlessly."
"All I really can do now that Sabertooth already took out so many competitors." The two exchanged looks before Damien looked away. `Besides, winning doesn't mean that much to me.
"Whatever you say." Xisplate replied. "Just don't get yourself into a situation that requires myself or Vantros." Damien had almost completely forgotten about the other Demon Lord, who rarely showed himself to talk.
"Speaking of Vantros, how come he never shows up to talk to me?"
"Because I usually only show up to taunt you." Xisplate replied, smirking. "Vantros has no such interest."
"I do however have an interest in fucking with you." Another voice said. Both Damien and Xisplate turned the other way to find the Demon of Ice standing there, smirking.
"Of course you do." Xisplate said. "That's the worst part of this whole setup."
"While I do love our arrangement." Vantros said. "Need I remind you the only reason we're stuck like this is because Damien is too weak to control your takeover?" Damien knew it wasn't meant as an insult, but it still took a jab at his pride to hear. "Or Taisho would still be alive."
'I'd rather put up with you for Damien's lifespan that allow that monster to walk the earth any longer, honestly." Xisplate said. "So nice try." Damien tuned the Demon Lords out as they discussed whatever it was they were discussing, and he continued on his merry way without incident. The lack of competitors he was finding was starting to worry him. Casting his gaze up to the scoreboard being broadcast all over the city, he could see Sabertooth had 106 points. They'd taken out all of Quatro Cerberus, all of Mermaid Heel except for Nami (obviously), Mami, who was the leader of Blue Pegasus' team given the scores, Akio and Ken.
Wait, if I do the math right quick...
"Damien." It was Xisplate who gained his attention. "We aren't alone." Damien looked around, and finally laid his eyes on who the demon was referring to.
She had golden blonde hair, the face of an angel, and a body any woman would kill for.
Bella Realight was watching Damien with a cute smile on her face.
"Hiya, Damien!" She said, smiling. "Looks like I finally found you!"
"You were looking?" Damien asked, raising an eyebrow. "Why?" She laughed again.
"Cause I wanted to see you silly!" Part of Damien felt happy she wanted that, but it also raised a few red flags in his mind as to why he felt so happy.
"No you don't." he replied, tensing. "You want to fight me, don't you?" Bella giggled again and waved him off.
"No! Not at all! Well maybe a little bit actually."
"Though so." Damien said, taking an offensive stance. This just caused Bella to laugh again.
"Don't be like that! This doesn't have to get violent!" Damien made a face.
"How so?" Bella smirked and placed a hand on her hip.
"Because you want to come over here and give me a big kiss, don't you?"
"What is this girls game?" Vantros asked, but Xisplate payed him no mind. He was more focused on watching the situation before him. Damien seemed conflicted by the order to kiss Bella, and incoherently mumbled under his breath. Bella raised an arm and beckoned him forth with a seductive smile.
"Come on, big boy! Come give me a big kiss." She tilted her head to the side. "Pretty please?"
"...I-I guess..." Damien shook his head and looked away from her. "What are you trying to pull?"
"Nothing!" Xisplate clicked his teeth as Damien had an internal struggle.
"We should've seen it sooner." He hissed, Vantros looking over at him in confusion.
"What?"
"Look at the facts." Xisplate hissed, pointing at Bella. "The insanely good looks, the constant seduction of the men around her..." it took a Vantros a moment, but when he figured out what Xisplate was talking about, his eyes widened.
"No.." He said. "It couldn't be!"
"It is." Xisplate replied. "She chose her." he whirled around and narrowed his eyes. "Didn't you, Meridia?"
The Demon Lord Meridia smiled and tilted her head to the side as Xisplate accused her.
"Whatever do you mean?" Meridia asked innocently. "I'm not causing any trouble!" Vantros growled.
"So that's it. Bella's magic is takeover, and her takeover is the Demon Lord from the 3rd Circle of Judgment. Meridia the Succubus."
Zeus watched the six lacrima vision screens he had set up carefully. Despite what the Grand Magic Games committee liked to think, it was easy to hijack the signals of the Games and broadcast it anywhere.
Although maybe Hephaestus was just that good.
Although one thing was different. Five of those screens were official, and another was not. This sixth screen was following his true target, and the only reason he had an interest in the Games at all.
Nashi Dragneel limped along. She would encounter Blake soon enough, and he would push her to her limit to test her power level. At least that was the hope. Athena was running theoretical tests, and she wasn't hopeful they'd be able to draw the power out.
"Zeus?" Speaking of the Goddess of Strategy, Athena had entered the room. "I've finished the tests."
"And?" Athena sighed and a few dozen magic screens popped up in front of her face.
"From the multiple different scenarios and chances Blake has, I've determined that he has a thirteen percent chance of drawing out Etherious Nashi Dragneel."
"Only thirteen?"
"Sadly, yes." Zeus returned his gaze to the lacrima vision before speaking again.
"How do you get this result?" He asked.
"Well, think about it." Athena replied. "Nashi Dragneel, despite only being half Etherious, is still Etherious. The best case we have of Etherious beings is Tartarus. When they wanted to enter their Etherious forms..."
"They had to do it themselves." Zeus said, and Athena nodded. "Interesting. Where does the thirteen percent come from?"
"After I ran diagnostics on Nashi from her battle against the New Twin Dragons, I came across an instance in which her magic power was slightly replenished." Athena swiped one of the screens, and it flew over to Zeus. It was showing the battle in question, and Nashi was struggling to stand. After a moment, the diagnostics started to spike. Her magic grew, her body heat grew, and the screen showed Elise backing up from the girl as it happened.
"What does it mean?" He asked.
"I have a theory. I think that, if Nashi Dragneel is pushed to her absolute limit, the Etherious may awaken once more. If it replenished her energy so she could hold Dragon-God mode for just that little bit longer, imagine what pushing her to deaths door would do."
"Interesting." Zeus said, re-watching the footage of the boost Nashi gained. "Interesting indeed. Although it is still a slim chance.
"Very slim, yes. Although doable."
"Good work Athena. I want you to continue working on a projection for her non-Etherious power level after the awakening months ago. If this thirteen percent turns out to not be enough, we still need to know how powerful she has become."
"Understood. I shall return when it's done." Athena turned and left the room, and Zeus raised a hand to his temple.
"Agent." He said.
"Yes Master?" Blake asked.
"Athena's projections show you have a chance of drawing END out if you bring her to her absolute limit. Do not hold back whatsoever, and we will see what happens."
"And my previous question? If we cannot draw her out?"
"Being worked on. Continue as scheduled Agent. You have work to do."
"Right." The connection was severed, and Zeus returned his gaze to the lacrima vision.
"Even if she isn't at her projected power levels, there are always others ways."
Zeus leaned back in his seat as the Games progressed.
"Always other ways."
You guys have no idea how much trouble I had writing this chapter. My power kept cutting out while I was typing, so I had to save every thirty seconds or it'd all be gone :P
Also, I'd like to ask you guys something. Although we are still a ways away from chapter 200, what do you guys want to see to celebrate? I can't do an awesome one shot like I did for chapter 100 because I'm pretty sure we'll be n the middle of an arc. So if you guys have any cool ideas, make sure to share them with me!
I hope you enjoyed, leave a review! Let's try and get five!