A/N: Episode 281.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER EIGHTY-EIGHT: UNDERGROUND CLASH
"Hey, Akame. Are you sure Gray and Zack are in there?" Natsu questioned.
"Yeah. No doubt about it." Akame answered.
"We need to take Gray back to Juvia right away." Lucy claimed.
"We need to bring Zack back to Jim too." Dusk added.
"Man, this place sure is gloomy." Akame commented.
"Why would they build it here, of all places?" Chii wondered.
"These guys are shady, through and through." Dusk stated.
"All right! Charge!"
"Aye, Sir!"
Akame grabbed onto Natsu and Happy. "Hold on!" He exclaimed, making the three drop to the ground.
"That hurts, Akame..." Happy complained.
"What's the big idea?!" Natsu exclaimed.
Akame sat up. "We don't really know who we're dealing with this time. Rushing straight in isn't the best idea." He tried to reason with them as Lucy nodded her head in agreement.
"Wow. You're actually using your brain?" Dusk questioned in shock as Akame yelps at the insult.
"But Zack and Gray might be in there!" Natsu argued.
"Precisely. We need to be cautious and gather info first." Akame said.
"Fair enough." Natsu agreed.
Lucy holds up Virgo's gate key. "Virgo can help us sneak into the church from under the ground."
"Oh!"
"Come out, Virgo!" Lucy exclaimed as Virgo's gate key shined. "Open, Gate of the Maiden! Vir..."
Virgo soon appeared from the gate, tied up as the group looked at her in disbelief. "...go?" Lucy finished her sentence as Natsu and Happy let out a noise of shock.
"Virgo needs help." Happy commented.
"Wh-What happened?! Are you okay?!" Lucy questioned in concern.
"Who did this to you?!" Natsu also asked.
"Oh, don't mind me." Virgo replied.
"Huh?"
Virgo stands up. "I had free time, so I decided to punish myself." She explained, releasing her restraints.
Lucy sweatdropped. "Are you for real?"
"There's so much to learn about Celestial Spirits!" Natsu stated.
"Aye..."
"It's good to see you again, Natsu-sama and Happy-sama." Virgo greets them.
"Well, whatever." Lucy said. "Okay! Here goes!"
Lucy got covered in a golden light as she transformed. "Star Dress: Virgo Form!"
Natsu and Happy were both in disbelief and shock. "She transformed!" Natsu exclaimed.
"Reminds me of a certain scary armor person!" Happy said.
"Yeah..." Akame added while shivering, thinking about Ezekiel.
"It grants her some of my abilities and increases her magic power." Virgo explained.
"Let's do it, Virgo!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Yes, Princess!" Virgo complied.
The ground was trembling as Virgo peeked from the hole she had dug as well as Lucy. "Infiltration complete." Virgo announced.
"Is this the basement?" Lucy wondered.
"Hey!" Natsu called out. "Move your butt already!"
"Natsu. Lucy's panties were showing the whole time." Happy commented.
Eventually, the group got out of the hole. "I wonder what the Avatar guys are doing here." Happy wondered out loud.
"Beats me." Natsu responded. "Farting around, I guess."
"We need to find info about Gray without getting spotted." Lucy informed.
"Zack, too." Dusk added.
Natsu sniffed the air. "Gray! Zack!" He yells out. "If either of you are here, show yourselves!"
The shouting grabbed Jerome's attention. "That shouting..." He muttered. "I don't recognize his voice."
"It's coming from inside the church. Does that mean...?" D-6 began to ask.
"Intruders? This sounds like fun!" Abel finished.
Gray and Zack paused upon hearing Natsu's shout. "Natsu?" Gray questioned.
Zack sniffed the air. "Akame and Dusk..." He muttered.
Lucy grabbed onto Natsu's cheeks. "What did you do that for?!" She scolded. "You ruined the whole reason for sneaking in!"
"It's too late now, they know we're here already." Akame sighed.
"I assume this calls for punishment, Princess?" Virgo asked as she gestured to a wooden animal. "I found this. Feel free to use it on me."
"You be quiet!" Lucy shouted.
"Punishment it is." Virgo covers her mouth as Happy was on the wooden animal.
"Why me?!" Happy exclaimed.
"Quit it already!" Lucy yelled.
"He's here." Natsu informed.
"So is Zack." Akame added.
"Huh?"
"Gray's here. I can smell him." Natsu clarified.
"Same with Zack." Akame stated.
"They're both here?" Dusk questioned.
"Then there's no need for us to hide!" Happy exclaimed.
"Hey!" Abel calls out, grabbing Natsu and Akame's attention as they both glanced up. "Whatcha doing inside our hideout? Is it something fun? Is it? Is it?"
"The enemy?!" Lucy questioned before recognizing the doll in Abel's hands. "Wait, that doll...!"
"It's Mr. Cursy!" Happy realized, pointing while his whole body was trembling.
"Mr... what now?" Chii asks in confusion, looking at Bruno who just shrugs.
"Ack! Now I remember!" Lucy exclaimed. "It belonged to that guy we fought on Tenrou Island!"
"Yeah, you had a lot of fun with it."
"It was the opposite of fun!"
"Oh, you already know Mr. Cursy? How fun!" Abel said, leaping down from his spot. "A former big shot in Grimoire Heart gave him to me. He uses truly terrifying Black Magic."
"So many bad memories..." Lucy mumbles to herself.
"Be careful." Virgo warned. "This person is far stronger than he looks."
Akame steps in front of Abel, causing him to look up as Akame punches him to the ground. Lucy, Dusk, and Virgo widened their eyes while Natsu grinned.
"Sorry, but I only got business with Zack." Akame claimed as he dispersed the red mist from his hand.
"Abel!" Gomen shouts, walking down into the cellar to see Abel defeated on the ground. "Trouble is brewing! Curse you intruders! How dare you 'leaf' Abel like this! Unfortunately for you, you broke into my personal training room!"
"Training room?" Lucy repeats as she deadpanned.
"Just look at that flabby face." Happy commented.
"Prepare to suffer torture upon torture!" Gomen exclaimed, raising his arms as tools levitated and moved towards them.
"Oh, is it punishment time?!" Virgo blushed happily.
"Don't react like that!" Lucy scolded.
Natsu and Akame both dodged the tools. "Tea-tea-tea-tea-tea-tea!" Gomen shouted.
Virgo was awestruck. "This is no time to be mesmerized, you know." Lucy tells her.
Happy had a lit candle on his butt. "You did that on purpose!" Lucy shouted.
"Triangular Dummy Dragon!" Gomen yells out as a wooden dragon appeared.
Akame stops it with his foot. "How is this ugly thing a dragon?" He questioned.
Gomen swipes his fingers around. "While I actually attack it with..." Iron pillars soon appeared around Natsu and Akame. "...the Iron Maiden!"
"Natsu!" Lucy shouted.
"Akame!" Dusk called out in worry.
"What is this hurty-looking thing?!" Natsu exclaimed.
The trap soon shuts on both Natsu and Akame. "Steep tight." Gomen said.
"Natsu!" Happy yelled.
"Akame!" Chii shouted.
"Oh, no!" Lucy had her hand over her mouth.
"Punishment completed... to a T." Gomen said as he noticed lava slipping out of the eye, causing him to open his eyes as the trap began to melt. "Th-The iron! It's melting-!"
Natsu and Akame both broke free from the trap as Natsu punched Gomen straight in the face, sending him flying to the wall.
"A bitter end..." Gomen muttered, sliding down in defeat.
"That's two down." Natsu claimed.
"You're wide open." D-6 leaped into the air to attack Natsu and Akame.
Akame turned around and sent a backwards kick coated with red mist at D-6's face. "Three down." He announced.
"I-Incredible." Virgo stuttered.
"That's Akame for ya." Dusk sighed.
"Three of 'em, just like that!" Lucy exclaimed.
"I-Impossible... We're top-level black wizards... How could these brats beat us?" Gomen asked.
"He's way too much for you guys to handle."
"That being said, the blood sucker isn't as simple-minded as you'd think."
The voices of Gray and Zack gained both Natsu and Akame's attention as Gray walked down the steps with Zack right behind him.
"We'll deal with them." Gray claimed.
"Yo! How's it going?" Natsu asks Gray while Akame narrows his eyes at Zack.
Back in the village with Juvia, Wendy, and Carla, it was still raining outside.
"Gray-sama, my darling..." Juvia mutters weakly. "Juvia... Juvia..."
"Juvia-san. I'm gonna dry you off, okay?" Wendy tells her as she begins to unbutton her shirt. "So jiggly..."
Wendy was leaning against the wall, grabbing Carla's attention. "...and big..." Wendy mumbled.
"These belong to my sweet Gray-sama..." Juvia claimed, shocking both Wendy and Carla. "These fish are his..."
"Wh-What is she dreaming about?" Carla wondered as there was a moment of silence. "Say, Wendy."
"Yes?"
"Do you think they've found Gray yet?" Carla questioned.
"Yeah. I hope so." Wendy responded as she was drying Juvia off.
"I hope they aren't quarreling. Oh, but Natsu and Gray are always fighting."
"It's normal for them." Wendy smiled.
Carla began to laugh. "That's true." She agreed.
"No... fighting... Erza-san will get angry... and flatten you both..." Juvia mumbled.
"I-It's scary how realistic that sounds." Wendy claimed.
"That's also true."
Natsu and Akame charged forward as Gray and Zack did the same, the two of them punching each other before Zack sends a punch at Akame and Akame sends one back while Lucy, Virgo, Happy, Dusk, Bruno, and Chii watched.
The four leaped back as Natsu and Akame both had grins on their faces while Gray and Zack had neutral expressions.
"Come on!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Stop it!" Dusk shouted as well.
"What are you lot doing here?" Zack asked, blue energy coming from his fist as he charged forward. Akame blocks it.
"I'm supposed to ask that question!" Akame spat back as him and Zack clashed their heads together. "What are you doing here?!"
"None of your concern! Get out!" Zack snapped, aiming his fist at Akame once more who ducks under it. He slams his hands onto the ground before kicking at Zack's jaw, making him stumble back.
"You're wrong!" Akame claimed as he looks at Zack. "Jim is waiting for you! I'm hauling your ass back to our guild whether you like it or not!"
Zack just stared at him blankly.
"I'm waiting for you, too!" Natsu was saying to Gray as he tries to punch the Ice Mage, who moves out of the way. "We're rebuilding Fairy Tail! And we need you!"
Gray sends a hard punch to Natsu's face, shocking Lucy and Happy. "Don't be stupid." He muttered as ice spikes appeared in front of him. "Fairy Tail no longer exists!"
Natsu soon melts the ice, causing steam to fill the dungeon. "In form only. All our memories and bonds with our friends still exist. Fairy Tail will always be right here." He claimed, pounding his fist against his chest where his heart was located. "Always has... and always will."
"Then shouldn't that be enough?" Gray questioned. "If it's already in your heart, then leave me be. I'm following my own path now."
"Gray..." Happy muttered.
"Fairy Tail is no longer a part of me. So quit acting like we're friends anymore." Gray claimed.
Lucy's lip trembled as she walked towards Gray. She clenched her fist tightly before raising her hand and slapping Gray, shocking Dusk and leaving Natsu and Akame speechless. Zack had to fight back his laughter. He couldn't afford to break character when the other Avatar members could be watching. No, he knew they were watching.
Zack could almost applaud at how unfazed Gray was, however.
"'Acting like we're friends'?" Lucy repeated in disbelief. "We've always been friends! Stop saying such heartbreaking things!" Tears ran down Lucy's face. "We don't want to hear you talking like that... After all we..."
Lucy suddenly touched her stomach as if she was in pain as did Dusk. "Lucy!" Natsu called out.
"Dusk!" Akame shouted as both Lucy and Dusk collapsed to the ground.
"My stomach... suddenly..." Lucy said in pain.
"What the hell is going on?" Dusk wondered.
"Oh, it's you, Mary." Gray spoke nonchalantly.
"Who are these people? Old friends of yours?" Mary asked as she smiled. "Friends from that guild that went belly-up?"
"Princess!" Virgo calls out in worry.
"What did you do to Lucy?!" Natsu questioned in anger.
Chains suddenly wrapped around Natsu, Akame, and Virgo. "Simmer down!" Gomen shouted, sending the three to the ground.
"These are made of Sealstone!" Virgo noticed.
"Natsu!" Happy rushed forward.
"Akame!"
"Dusk!"
Happy, Chii, and Bruno were suddenly raised in the air before getting slammed to the wall and onto the ground as Abel was controlling them.
"Mr. Cursy!" Happy struggled to get out.
"Thanks for the help, Lady Mary." Gomen thanks her as Natsu was gritting his teeth.
Mary kneeled down next to Lucy and Dusk. "Now, now. Don't fight it. You're both too weak. Does it hurt? It hurts, doesn't it?" She taunted as her eyes sparkled. "My Black Magic, I mean."
"Gray!" Natsu yelled out, rushing forward.
"Zack, you damned bastard!" Akame insulted, rushing forward as well.
"Simmer down!" Gomen shouted, grabbing onto the chains. "These chains are blocking their Magic, yet... What brute strength!"
Jerome placed his sword down towards Lucy and Dusk. "Stop right there." He ordered, causing Natsu and Akame to both grit their teeth.
"I-It hurts..." Lucy mumbled.
"Princess!" Virgo shouted.
Abel was still controlling Happy, Chii, and Bruno with Mr. Cursy. "Stop it...!" Happy exclaimed.
"This is what you get for butting in where you don't belong, Natsu." Gray stated.
"Wake up, Gray! A demon's taken control of you!" Natsu shouted.
"I am perfectly sane." Gray claimed, removing his coat as Natsu saw the Avatar insignia where Gray's Fairy Tail insignia used to be. "I removed my family's mark of my own free will. To reach my answer."
Lucy gritted her teeth in anger as tears were spilling out. "He erased his guild mark...?!" Happy questioned in disbelief.
Natsu had an enraged look on his face. "Gray!"
Akame couldn't help but glance at Zack, wondering if he had done the same thing.
Gajeel and Lily were camping in a forest when Lily heard footsteps, getting his attention.
"Gajeel. Someone is approaching." Lily informed.
"I hear 'em. It smells like..." Gajeel trailed off.
"I'm back."
"Levy-san! Well done! Nice work infiltrating the cult!"
"Being petite certainly is handy!"
"Sorry for taking so long, everyone." Levy apologized.
MAGIC COUNCIL / LEVY MCGARDEN.
"Sneaking among the cultists was easy enough... But sneaking back out was definitely the hard part." Levy claimed before glancing at Gajeel. "Say, Gajeel. Did you get my news about Gray and Zack?"
"Yeah." Gajeel replied.
"I wonder what happened. It was as if his heart was completely consumed by darkness." Levy said. "Same goes with Zack. I wonder if Twilight Phoenix knows about this."
"Doesn't matter. Our job is to stop the Purification Plan." Gajeel reminded.
"What do you mean, it doesn't matter? Gray was our friend! And Zack was an ally of ours!" Lily exclaimed.
"Not anymore. If the Purification Plan happens, lots of innocent people will die. They're both part of that plan. You expect me to see them as a friend and ally?" Gajeel asks Lily.
"Can you really fight an old comrade and ally?" Lily questioned.
"They're both our enemies now, plain and simple. We have to stop the Purification Plan." Gajeel responded, making Levy nod in agreement.
Back in Avatar's base, Natsu, Lucy, Akame, Dusk, Happy, Chii, and Bruno were all chained up with handcuffs that blocked their Magic.
"Fish... Fish... Don't cook that... That's my..." Happy mutters to himself before opening his eyes. "Huh?"
"You're awake." Lucy said, causing Happy to glance over at her.
"Yeah." Happy said.
"Is your stomach okay, Lucy?" Dusk asked.
Lucy nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine now." She reassured. "What about yours?"
"It stopped when that crazy chick left." Dusk replied.
"Where's Virgo?" Happy questions Lucy.
"The Sealstone closed her gate." Lucy responded.
"Gray, you jerk... What happened to you?" Natsu wondered.
"I should've roughed Zack up a bit more. Damn bastard..." Akame mumbled as he was sitting next to Natsu.
"I can't believe he erased his own guild mark." Happy stated.
"Makes me wonder if Zack did the same." Bruno looks at Dusk who only nodded.
"Gray's definitely been taken over by something. Or maybe someone's controlling him. Zack, too." Lucy claimed.
"Yeah. Gray would never do anything like this." Happy agreed.
"I don't know about you guys. But if Zack had chosen this cult over his own guild, then he shouldn't be allowed back in Twilight Phoenix anymore." Akame spat out venomously.
"You don't mean that, Akame." Dusk told him as Akame glanced at him.
Akame then sighs. "Yeah. You're right. I'm just downright pissed about the whole situation. I don't understand why Zack would join this cult." He claimed.
There was a brief moment of silence amongst the group before they heard the sound of footsteps.
"Someone's coming." Lucy informed.
Gomen soon arrived in the dungeon before bowing down, leaving both Lucy and Dusk stunned.
"He bowed to empty air!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Scary!" Dusk added.
Natsu and Akame both had dark glares on their faces before they both rammed themselves into the cell bars. "Where's Gray?!" Natsu shouted. "Bring him here!"
"While you're at it, bring Zack too!" Akame added.
"Sir Gray, Sir Zack, and the others are no longer here." Gomen informed.
"What?"
"They've left to begin the Purification Plan." Gomen then turned around. "I, on the other hand, am here to find out who sent you... via torture."
"Purification Plan?" Happy repeated.
"The purification of souls. The deaths of countless innocents will beckon Zeref's arrival." Gomen elaborated.
"L-Leave Gray out of your crazy schemes!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Zack as well!" Dusk added.
Gomen looks at her. "You've noticed, have you?" He questioned.
"Huh?"
"I-I'm c-c-cosplaying as Lord Zeref!" Gomen stutters out.
"If you say so!" Lucy exclaimed, stunned.
"Wow..." Happy said, also stunned.
"I love Lord Zeref so much that I even got this in the Far East." Gomen continued, pointing to his forehead. "I can't read these characters myself, but I'm told they say 'Zeref.'"
"Uhh, they mean 'powdered tea.'" Lucy tells him. "I think I did something bad..."
"That's enough, you noisy strumpet!" Gomen exclaimed as Lucy was soon raised to the ceiling.
"He can control his torture devices!" Happy realized.
"You only now noticed?" Gomen asked.
"Let her go!" Natsu ordered.
"Quiet, you powerless prisoners." Gomen insulted, sending Happy, Chii, Bruno, Natsu, Akame, and Dusk against the wall.
The cell door soon opened. "Sit back and enjoy... the Gomen Torture Show." Gomen said as Lucy struggled against her restraints.
"Lucy!" Natsu yelled.
"It won't come off!" Happy exclaimed.
"They are Sealstone restraints, after all." Gomen stated as he removes a sheet.
Lucy had a frightened look as she saw all of the torture devices laid out on the table as Gomen got a whip out.
"Whip torture..." Gomen held out a burning candle. "Candle torture... Water torture. Rope torture. Foot-licking torture. So, which shall it be?"
"Are you some kind of pervert?" Lucy questioned as Gomen bowed again. "Stop bowing to nobody! It's scary!"
"Just go with foot-licking torture. It can't be too bad." Natsu claimed with a deadpan look.
"It does sound like it has the least pain." Akame agreed, also having a deadpan look.
"No way! I don't like the sound of it!" Lucy shouted.
Gomen holds up a bottle of salt water. "It appears you have no understanding of how that torture works."
"What's that? Salt water?" Lucy asked.
"Indeed. I slather your bare feet in salt water and release a goat. The goat begins licking your feet to consume that salt. Eventually, the goat's scratchy tongue will peel off the skin and tear away your flesh. Yet, the goat will continue to lick your feet... forever." Gomen explained.
Natsu had a terrified look on his face. "Wha...?! For real?!" He exclaimed.
"Th-That sounds more painful than I thought! And this is coming from someone who can manipulate blood!" Akame added, also trembling and having a terrified look on his face.
A goat soon appeared in front of Lucy, freaking her out.
"Shall we try it out?" Gomen questioned, removing a sock from Lucy's foot.
"No!" Lucy screamed out.
"You bastard!" Natsu shouted.
Gomen tied up Lucy's mouth with a gag as well as her now bare feet with the goat in front of her. "Now, tell me who sent you... before the girl loses her feet." Gomen tells Natsu.
"Stop it, damn you!" Natsu exclaimed as the goat moved closer to Lucy's feet.
"We already told you! We only came here to take Zack and Gray back with us!" Akame shouted.
"How many times must I tell you? Sir Zack and Sir Gray are one of us!" Gomen claimed.
The goat had his tongue sticking out as Lucy shook her head frantically. Natsu clenched his fist.
"He's our friend! But if he can't believe in himself, then we'll believe for him!" Natsu stated.
Gomen opened his eyes before extending his arms out. "Silence!" He shouted as Lucy's legs began to spread outwards.
Natsu grits his teeth. "Lucy!" He called out.
"What are you doing to her?!" Happy questioned.
Lucy was struggling against her restraints as Gomen raised an axe above her. "Foot-licking torture is canceled! This calls for chop-in-half torture!" He shouted.
"Stop!" Natsu screamed out.
"Do you have faith in Sir Gray and Sir Zack now?!" Gomen questioned.
Gomen was about to struck the axe down on Lucy, who closed her eyes. However, before he could, someone turned him frozen solid. Lucy opened her eyes as Natsu, Lucy, Happy, Akame, Dusk, Chii, and Bruno could only look in shock. Lucy looked over, seeing two shadowy silhouettes, revealing Gray and Zack.
"Gray..." Lucy mumbled.
"And Zack..." Dusk added.
Zack raised his arm and snapped his fingers. When he did so, the restraints that were holding Natsu, Happy, Akame, Dusk, Chii, Bruno, and Lucy all dissolved into dust, releasing them.
"Urgh. Dammit." Gray complained, rubbing the back of his head in annoyance. "You guys ruined everything."
"Are you really that surprised?" Zack questioned, making Gray snort as he pulled out a device, placing it up to his ear.
"Code Blue here. We've hit a snag." Gray spoke to the person on the other end, shocking the group. "No, its not that. Yeah."
The markings on Gray's body began to disappear. "Hell if I know. Ask him yourself. Yeah." He continued to speak to the person on the other end.
"The pattern on his body..." Happy noticed.
Gray tossed the device to Natsu, making him catch it. "Put it to your ear." Gray instructed.
"What is this thing?" Natsu asked as he holds the device to his ear.
"Is that you... Natsu?"
Natsu looks at Gray, who only nodded in confirmation. Erza appeared on the other line, with Ezekiel right next to her.
"Good grief. So much for Gray and Zack's undercover mission." Erza claimed.
A/N: Apologises for not updating in so long!
Thanks for reading!
~ Kaleb.