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i-am-the-hero-alfred-jones · 4 years

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Fairy Tail’s Fairy Tale’s Chapter 6

((Part 6 of my contribution to the Fairy Tail big bang by @ft-ez-bb ! I hope you guys enjoy! Like/comment/reblog/ect. if you did!))

Wendy frowned down at the book, "I think I need help. . ." "What seems to be the trouble, child?" Carla asked. "I don't know who to make the dwarves in this story. . ." Wendy admitted, "How do I find seven similar people?" "Well there are seven dragon slayers." Carla pointed out. "Oh yeah!" Wendy lit up, "Who would be Snow White then?" "Well, the question there would be who could handle seven dragon slayers- or who handles their dragon slayer best?" "I don't even want the one I have!" Lucy exclaimed. "Hey!" Natsu pouted. "Oh I could not handle two Gajeels. . . " Levy shook her head fearfully. "Thanks a lot, Shrimpy." he replied sarcastically. "Child," Carla began, "I love you- but you must admit you're a bit of a handful. Wendy frowned, but couldn't argue. "That just leaves the Thunder Legion. . . " the little slayter said. Bixlow snickered, "You could give Freed a million Laxus's and he wouldn't complain." Freed gave a lovesick sigh and stared off into the distance dreamily, chin resent in his hand, ". . . A million Laxus's. . ."

Wendy beamed, "Alright! Freed can be Snow White, we'll be the dwarves- who'll be the prince?" Freed was at her side in an instant, whispering eagerly into her ear. Wendy shrugged, "Okay. Laxus can double as the prince, and Gajeel can double as the hunter! Oh. . . " she saddened, "But how are we gonna get Sting and Rogue here?" "I've got it." Jellal assured. "What exactly are your powers?" Erza asked. "Don't worry about it." Jellal dismissed, beginning to perform a spell.

"Wait. . ." Levy realized, "Sabertooth is in another timezone- Isn't it night there right now?" But it was too late. The spell had been cast. Rogue was slowly materializing in front of them. He was sitting in a large cozy armchair, in his lap sat a half-asleep Frosche and Lector. He was wearing a large black t-shirt, gray sweatpants, and a pair of decorated, neon pink slippers, they had large frog eyes and matched Frosche's onesie. "So Andy the happy frog began his journey to find the beautiful frog girl he had seen from across the pond-" The shadow slayer glanced up as he fully appeared in the room. ". . . Why?" he asked, throwing his hands up in defeat. "I'm so sorry!" Wendy exclaimed, rushing up to him, "I had no idea it was night for you! You can go home! The guild is putting on a play for me- but you don't have to join in!" she assured, guiltily. Rogue shrugged and sat back, casually crossing his arms over his chest, "I'm find with it." he assured, a smirk playing at his lips, "But Sting's in the shower right now."

They heard the loud, off-pitch voice before the naked blonde came into view. "~And at last I see the light!~" Gajeel rushed forward to cover Wendy's eyes. "Sting." Rogue said, casually. "~ And it's like the fog has lifted!~" "Sting!" Rogue called a bit louder. "~And at last I see the light!~" "STING!" "WHAT?!" Sting demanded, finally turning to Rogue, he cried out in shock, "Why are you in my shower?" he demanded, confused. It was clear that Rogue was struggling to hold back his laughter. "We're not in your shower, Sting." he said, calmly, "We're not even in Sabertooth right now." "Huh?" Sting finally looked around. He screamed as he saw the members of Fairy Tail staring at him in shock and appall and scrambled to cover himself with his hands. "What's going on?! Why are we here?! How did we get here?!" "Does anybody have a camera?" Rogue interjected into Sting's panicked questions. "Not funny, man!" "I'm not trying to be funny, I intend to send this into Sorcerer's Weekly." Rogue said, sincerely. Sting moved his hands to shake a fist at Rogue, "I'm gonna-" "STING!!!" Sting yelped and quickly covered himself again at Rogue's warning. Erza held out a costume to the blonde, "I'll explain everything backstage." she assured. The group walked backstage, Sting covering himself with the costume as he left.

"Hey, what about Cobra?" Natsu asked. "I'VE BEEN HERE FOR THREE DAYS!!!!" Erik yelled angrily from the bar. Natsu glanced over, "What are you doing here, dude?" Erik gestured to Kinana in fury "MY GIRLFRIEND WORKS HE- Whatever." he sat back, arms over his chest, giving up, "I hate this guild." he grumbled. "Aw. . . don't hate the guild!" Kinana rubbed his shoulders soothingly, "I'll make it worth it if you do the play." she offered. "Yeah?" Erik smirked and read her mind. He lit up, "I'm doin' the play!" he announced eagerly.

Wendy cheered, "Now all we need is an evil queen and a magic mirror!" Bixlow grinned, "Oh, Ever~" "NO! I am not getting roped into playing another evil character! If I'm going down, you're going down with me!" she vowed, glaring at him murderously. Bixlow shrugged, "Alright, I'll be the mirror." The group headed backstage and Carla began the story.

LITTLE SNOW WHITE

"Once upon a time, there was a king and a queen who longed for a child. Eventually, they had one, her skin was white as snow, her lips as red as blood, and her hair was as black as Ebony." Carla began. "Uh. . ." Freed poked his head out from backstage. "Just ignore it, it's part of the story." Carla commanded. Freed just shrugged and left again.

"The King's wife, sadly, had died in the birth of the child, and he remarried about a year later. The new wife was a beautiful woman-" Carla continued, here Evergreen walked onstage in a large Queen's gown with a crown atop her head. "But she was proud and haughty. She could not bear the thought that anyone could surpass her in beauty. She had a magical mirror, and she would speak to it often."

Evergreen approached the tall mirror, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, Who in this land is the fairest of all?" Bixlow appeared on the other side of the mirror, smirking. "Me!" he declared. "Bixlow!" Evergreen snapped, "Stick to the story!" Bixlow rolled his eyes, "Fine." he groaned, "You, oh Queen, are the fairest of all." "That's better." Evergreen hummed and walked over to sit in a nearby throne.

"And the queen was satisfied, for her mirror always spoke true. But Snow White was growing up. And grew more and more beautiful each day." Carla paused. Quiet bickering could be heard backstage. ". . . Snow White, that's your cue!" Carla called. Still, nothing happened. "FREED!" Evergreen snapped. Finally the rune mage was pushed onstage. He wore a very handsome, very princely suit, and a crooked crowned adorned mussed up green locks. He adjusted the crown as he entered the stage. "What took you so long?" Evergreen asked. "Erza's trying to get me into a dress!" Freed complained. "I'd like to see that." "No one asked you, Bixlow!" Freed snapped. "Ahem!" Carla cleared her throat impatiently, "As I was saying. . . "

"One day, the queen went to speak to her mirror." Carla narrated. Evergreen approached the mirror, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who in this land is the fairest of all?" "Well, I'm not saying you're ugly." Bixlow said, appearing in the mirror, "But you're not prettier than Snow White." "What?!" Evergreen yelled angrily, "Impossible! I won't allow it! She can't be more beautiful than me! I'll do whatever it takes to get rid of her!" "You'd have to kill him, Ever." Bixlow said. "HUNTSMAN!!!" Evergreen roared. Bixlow stared in awe, "Oh shit, she's actually killing him. . . " Gajeel walked onstage in leather pants and boots, he wore a plain white shirt, "Yeah?" "Take Snow White into the woods and kill him." Evergreen commanded, "Then bring me back his heart as proof." Gajeel stared at her for a moment, but shrugged, "Okay." he headed offstage. Evergreen and Bixlow left and Gajeel lead Freed onstage. "So. . . the queen told me to kill you, but I don't get paid enough for this shit." Gajeel said, releasing Freed, "You gotta get the hell out of here, man. I'll, uh- kill a pig or something as proof that you're dead." Freed ran offstage while Gajeel left in the opposite direction.

"Snow White wandered the woods for hours before finally coming upon a small cottage." Carla narrated, "Everything in the cottage was small, but neater and cleaner than you could imag- what happened to the cottage?!" Carla exclaimed. Sting and Rogue had brought on the candy witches house from earlier (a wall had been taken off for easier viewing) and the inside was absolutely destroyed. "Natsu happened." Laxus said, bluntly. Carla groaned, "Well, Snow White found the cottage. . ." she muttered. Freed walked into the cottage and stared in awe. "No. I'm not staying here." he wrote out a rune and the objects quickly flung themselves into their proper places. "That's better." he nodded. "Poor Snow White was so tired that she ate a bit from each plate- as she didn't want to take from just one, and fell asleep." Freed easily climbed into the last of the seven beds that had been laid out and pretended to sleep.

"It was shortly after Snow White fell asleep, that the owners of the house returned." Carla continued. The dragon slayers walked onstage bickering. "Whoa, whoa!" Erik put a hand out to stop the group, "The house smells different." "And it's clean!" Gajeel exclaimed. "Someone's been eating my food!" Natsu yelled. "How much?!" Wendy asked worriedly. "Like, a whole bite!" Natsu complained, eating off of the plate greedily. "Are you sure you didn't eat it right now?" Sting asked. "Maybe you ate it and forgot." Rogue offered. "No! Someone must've eaten it before me!" Natsu glared at the group suspiciously. "Why would we eat one bite of your food?" Rogue asked. "Maybe you were really hungry." Natsu said, skeptically watching Rogue. "Guys, there's a dude in my bed." Laxus called, casually. "Huh?!" the group rushed to Laxus's side and looked down at Freed's sleeping form.

"The dwarves couldn't help but notice how beautiful Snow White was." Carla narrated. The dragon slayers all watched Laxus expectantly. "What?" the blonde asked. "One of us has to say it." Erik said bluntly. "Yeah, he's on your team." Gajeel pointed out. "What?! No!" Laxus objected, "I'm not saying Freed's-uh- No!" "Come on, dude!" Sting said, "It's not weird to call your teammate attractive! Watch!" he turned towards the other Sabertooth member, "Rogue, you're a very attractive man." Rogue stared ahead at the audience, arms crossed over his chest. He looked dead inside. "That's nice, Sting." he replied, emotionless. Sting grinned and leaned closer, "Don't you think I'm attractive too?" he asked. Rogue slowly glared at him, "That's nice, Sting." he repeated. Sting gasped, "You asshole!"

"When Snow White awoke, the dwarves agreed to let her stay with them, she would keep house and in return, they would provide for her." The group pantomimed having a conversation with Freed. "Every day the dwarves would leave to mine treasures from the mountain, and return in the evening." Carla continued, "As she was alone all day, the dwarves made sure to warn her-" "Look, your stepmom's the queen." Erik said, "She's gonna find out you're alive eventually." "Don't let anyone in." Gajeel said, sternly. Freed nodded, "I promise not to let anyone in." he agreed. The group left and Evergreen approached her magic mirror on the other side of the stage.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?" she recited. Bixlow groaned as he came into view, "I already told you, Snow White is the prettiest." "Snow White is dead." "No he's not." Bixlow practically sang. "I ate his heart!" Evergreen shrieked. "No, you ate the heart of a pig, Over the hills where the seven dwarves dwell, Snow White is alive and well." Bixlow corrected, smirking. ". . .He's living with seven men?" Evergreen asked, "What a tramp." "Hey!" Freed yelled indignantly from the other end of the stage.

Carla began again, "The queen disguised herself as a peddler and went to find Snow White." Evergreen knocked on the door of the cottage dressed as a peddler. Freed answered. "I'm selling some lace, would you like some?" she asked. Freed let her in, "Sure, what are the ribbons and lace for though?" "Your corset of course!" "I don't wear a corset-" "Then it's for your throat." Evergreen wrapped the lace around Freed's throat and he fell to the ground, seemingly dead. "Now I am the most beautiful!" Evergreen declared before running offstage.

The dragon slayers walked onstage and gasped. "Snow White!" Wendy exclaimed. "We gave you one fucking rule!" Gajeel yelled exasperated. Laxus was quick to remove the lace from Freed's neck, "What happened?" he asked. "I bought some lace off an old peddler." Freed explained. "That wasn't a peddler, That was the wicked queen." Erik corrected. Gajeel knelt down to be eye level with the sitting Freed, "We have to leave again tomorrow. Listen very carefully. Do. Not. Let. Anybody. In." he said, slowly. Freed nodded, "I promise I won't." The slayers left again.

Evergreen, again, approached the mirror, "Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who in this land is fairest of all?" "Snow White." Bixlow answered easily. "WHAT?!" Evergreen screeched. "Ya failed, bitch!" Bixlow declared gleefully. "That's it!" Evergreen threw her hands up, "I'm turning to witchcraft!' She pulled out a comb out of her pocket, "This poisoned comb will do the trick!" Evergreen put on a different peddlers costume and returned to the cottage door. She knocked on it, "Would you like to buy something?" "No!" Freed replied, sternly, "I shall not allow myself to be fooled a second time!" he declared to himself. "But just look at this lovely comb!" Evergreen held it to the window. "It is quite beautiful. . ." Freed opened the door and let her in. "Let me comb your lovely hair." Evergreen began combing thick, green locks, and Freed fell to the ground a second time. "You paragon of beauty." Evergreen said, "You are done for good." then she ran offstage.

The dragon slayers returned and gasped again. "Snow White!" Natsu exclaimed. "GODDAMN IT!!!!! IT'S ONE FUCKING RULE!!!" Gajeel yelled angrily. "The comb is poisoned." Erik announced. "How do you know?" Rogue asked. "Trust me, I know my way around poison." Erik pulled the comb out and Freed sat up again. "Let me guess, you let someone in again?" Laxus asked. Freed looked away, guiltily., ". . .Yeah. . ." "Say it with me, gang." Gajeel said, "Don't let anybody in!" the group said together. Well, mostly together, Natsu was a beat behind the rest.

Evergreen returned to her mirror. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who in this land is the fairest of them all?" she asked. Bixlow appeared, "Wow, you're really on a losing streak here, aren't ya?" "Don't tell me I failed again!" Evergreen cried. "You failed again." Bixlow replied. "I'm going to kill that girl if it kills me!" Evergreen screamed, storming offstage. "And so the wicked queen made a poisoned apple. Half was red and half was white. The red part was poisoned, but the white part was safe, and after doing so, she approached the cottage again." Carla narrated.

Evergreen knocked on the door in yet another peddler's costume. "No! I won't buy anything!" Freed said, sternly. "Fine by me, I'm giving these away for free." Evergreen held up a half red, half white apple. "I won't take it. What if it's poisoned?" Freed asked skeptically. "I'll prove it isn't poisoned." Evergreen took a bite out of the white half and swallowed it, "See?" "Hmm. . . very well." Freed took a bite out of the red side of the apple and fell to the ground yet again. "At last. The princess is dead." Evergreen sprinted back to the mirror. "Listen here, you son of a bitch! You tell me who the fairest in the land is or I'll shatter you!" Evergreen threatened. "Whoa! Chill out, Queenie! You're the fairest. Happy now?" Bixlow asked, hands up in surrender. "Quite!" Evergreen replied, skipping offstage.

When the dwarves found Snow White this time there was a severe lack of emotion from the group. Well, except for Gajeel. "OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE!!!!! You know what?! He's disowned! I'm tired of this shit, he can go live in the woods!" "He's dead." Wendy said, having been examining the body while Gajeel ranted. ". . .Oh shit. . ." Laxus discretely snuck backstage.

"Snow White looked so alive in death that the dwarves could not buy her, but instead put her in a great glass coffin." Carla continued. An ice coffin was pushed onstage by Lyon, who had returned only at Juvia's request part way through the story. They carefully placed Freed inside the coffin. "Snow White lay a long, long time and did not look dead, but merely asleep. One day, a prince came to stay with the dwarves and fell in love with Snow White's image. He wished to take her home." Carla continued.

Laxus walked onstage again, now in princely attire. "How much do you want for her?" he asked. "Dude, you're trying to buy a dead chick?" Sting asked, "That's fucked up, man." "I'll give you whatever you want." Laxus offered. The dragon slayers collected in a small five member group on the other end of the stage. "Okay, we are not letting him by our friend!" Rogue exclaimed. "That's awful!" Wendy agreed. "Who does this guy think he is?" Erik demanded. "We'll turn him down." Sting agreed. "Where's Natsu?" Gajeel suddenly realized. The group whirled around. Laxus now had the coffin and Natsu was waving at him as the blonde left. ". . . Natsu." Gajeel said angrily, "Did you sell Snow White to the weird prince?" "Of course not!" Natsu glared, then smiled, "I gave Snow White to the weird prince!" "NATSU, YOU IDIOT!!!"

"Then the prince began to carry Snow White back. And as he did, a servant tripped and she awoke-" Carla began. "WHAT?!" Freed interrupted, sitting up, "What happened to the true love's kiss?" "That's not in the original story." Wendy said, "In the original story, the apple gets knocked out of her throat when the servant trips, her and the prince get married and the queen has to dance in red-hot iron slippers until she dies. Then everyone lives happily ever after." Wendy explained. "The end!" Carla declared as the guild clapped.

The group headed back to their seats, but Freed was fuming. "I went through all that trouble and I don't even get a kiss. . ." he grumbled. "I feel your pain." Erza agreed. The two glanced at one another, then back to he bar, "Mira!" they called together, both needing a drink.

"So. . . Can we go home now?" Sting asked, "I think I left the shower running. . ." "Yeah, and Lector and Frosche fell asleep a few scenes in." Rogue gestured to the chair he had appeared in, where the two exceeds were cuddled up to one another, snoring. "Aww. . ." Sting cooed. "Of course." Jellal waved his hand and the Sabertooth members were gone.

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Rogue blinked as he glanced around his own bedroom. He looked down at himself, he was glad to know his pajamas were returned to him. ". . .I wonder if Sting got back okay. . ." he mused. "AH! CRAP, IT'S COLD!!!" the other screamed from the bathroom. Rogue smirked, "Guess he ran out of hot water."

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scenecipriano · 5 years

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So... This Happened

Deceit was confused when Roman had asked him to accompany him to the Imagination he had imagined them having another sword fight or going on an adventure, not... A candlelit dinner with a single rose sitting between the plates. "Do you like it my, King Cobra? I hope it isn't too much for a first date, I mean play date! I had Logan cook the dinner, I didn't think you'd want to be poisoned with my horrible food." Roman explains Deceit could tell that the Princely side was nervous. The snake-like side honestly didn't have it in him to tell Roman that he wasn't interested in a relationship, he wouldn't be able to handle the fanciful sides broken look.

"It looks horrible, Roman. Did you not plan this yourself?" Deceit asks flashing the Princely side a small smile, Roman grins widely and usher Deceit over to his chair pulling it out slightly so Deceit could sit down.

"I did! Well, with a little help from, Padre. I hope you don't mind spaghetti," Roman replies as he pushes Deceit's chair forward slightly.

"I do! Spaghetti is like the least romantic thing ever! Now, in my opinion, boiled bull testicles are the right choice! That'll leave an impression and an invitation to the bedroom!" Roman shrieks and spins around, sitting in his chair with their legs propped up on the table was Remus. The Duke flashes his brother a smug grin while giving Deceit a seductive wink, 'Great just great,' Deceit thought as he flashes the Duke a forced smile.

"One, what are you doing here, two GET YOUR FEET OFF THE TABLE, and three why are you interrupting my date with Deceit!?" Roman demands while stomping his foot in a childish manner. 'Oh, so now it's a date?' Deceit thought as he rolls his eyes.

Remus grins more and stands up, "Why explain it in a boring way when I can spice it up?" Remus asks as he snaps his fingers, music drifts through Roman's palace, Deceit couldn't help but bop his head along to the beat, what can he say he likes good beats.

"Come on~, Everybody's lookin for love, oh, oh~. Ain't that the reason you're at this club~."

"We're not at a club though?" Deceit questions.

"You ain't gonna find it dancin with him, no, oh~!" Remus sings as he pulls Deceit up from his chair pulling the shorter side so close that their chests were pressed together.

"Got a better solution for you boy, oh, oh~!" Remus grins and whisks Deceit away in a dance, Roman letting out a string of offended Princely noises. Deceit blinks and tries his best to keep up with Remus's dancing.

"Just leave with me now, say the word and we'll go, I'll be your teacher, I'll show you the ropes. You'll see a side of love that you've never known, I can see it going down, going down~!" Remus sings louder, Deceit couldn't help but laugh at this.

"In my head, I see you all over me~! In my head, you fulfill my fantasy~! In my head, you'll be screaming mooree~!" Deceit stops laughing and blushes bright red at those lyrics, without even a second thought the snake-like side sinks out leaving the creativtwins alone in Roman's palace.

"Look what you did, Remus! You ruined our first date and you scared him off!" Roman exclaims while throwing his hands in the air. Remus scoffs and straightens his clothes.

"He's just playing hard to get!" Remus replies as he sinks out, Roman clenches his jaw and smirks.

"Two can play this game, trash monkey."

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Deceit sighs happily as he leans back onto the couch relaxing in his favorite sunspot, the others were currently in their rooms so that meant he had the living room all to himself for some much-needed peace and quiet. Deceit lets out a startled hiss when he's pulled up from the couch, the smaller side blinks and looks up seeing Roman holding him tautly against his chest. "May I not help you, Roman?" Deceit asks, confusion evident in his tone. Roman smirks and snaps his fingers clearing the living room from any type of furniture.

The same music that Remus had playing in Roman's palace began to drift through the air once more, "Some dudes know all the right things to say, oh, oh~. When it comes down to it, it's all just a game~. Instead of talking let me demonstrate, yeah~. Get down to business and skip foreplay, eh~." Roman sings as he begins to dance, wiggling his eyebrows at the last bit of the lyrics. Deceit blushes and tries to keep up with the fanciful side, 'Why is this my life right now?' Deceit squeaks when he's pulled away from Roman, the snake-like side looks up and pales slightly when he notices that he is now dancing with Remus.

"Just leave with me now, say the word and we'll go~." Remus sings while grinning, Deceit lets out another squeak and he is once again pulling into another direction. He was now back in Roman's arms.

"I'll be your teacher, I'll show you the ropes~." Roman sings while glaring at his brother, Remus glares back pulls Deceit towards him again, spinning the smaller side as he does then dipping him down slightly causing his bowler hat to slip off his head.

"You'll see the side of love you've never known~!" Remus sings while wiggling his eyebrows, Roman growls and jerks Deceit back towards him dancing away with him to avoid his brother.

"In my head, I see you all over me~!" Roman sings, Remus appears behind Roman and knocks him upside the head with his mace. He quickly takes Deceit's hand and whisks him away into another dance.

"In my head, you fulfill my fantasy!" Roman pops up and sheathes his sword into his brother's back, Deceit let's out a startled scream as he watches the Duke slump down into the floor. Roman laughs triumphantly and dances with Deceit once more.

"In my head, you'll be screaming mooreee~!" Roman grins, Deceit blushes more. With a loud screech, Remus jumps up once he's recovered from his brother's attack tackling Roman to the floor. As the twins fight, Deceit takes this has a chance to escape, so, he does by sinking out and returning to his room. The twins stop fighting when they realize that their love interest has disappeared.

"LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID!" They both yelled.

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The next day Deceit decided to stay in his room with the door locked, chained, and with his dresser in front of it. That should keep the twins out because if he was honest this whole thing was starting to get ridiculous. "Maybe I should tell them that I'm not interested," Deceit mumbles as he trails his fingers over Sir Slithers head. He didn't want to hurt their feelings, but the constant dancing and innuendos were beginning to make him uncomfortable.

"Deceit! Would you care for a dance?" Roman asks as he pops up in the smaller sides room, Deceit shrieks and presses himself against his wall.

"He doesn't want to dance with you, he wants to dance with me! Isn't that right, Dee?" Remus asks as he appears next to his brother. Deceit stares at the twins with wide bi-colored eyes.

"I... No, I don't want to dance with either of you. Your constant flirting is becoming annoying, I would like for you both to stop with this idiocy." Deceit replies, the twins stare at him for a moment. Deceit sighs and sinks out of his room leaving the twins alone to process his words.

"He is so playing hard to get," Remus spoke first. Roman hums in agreement, the princely side grins smugly at his brother.

"I'll be the one to win his heart first! No one can resist my charms."

"Oh, you are so on."

This was /hella/ stupid, but please enjoy this pile of trash :D

#sanders sides #sympathetic deceit #sympathetic remus #roman sanders #mild violence #songfic #poor deceit #lovestruck creativtwins #this is total garbage

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pyropsychiccollector · 5 years

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Invel sighed exasperatedly as he trudged through the city of Hargeon, subzero winds and temperatures trailing in his wake. A flurry of snow and ice coated the people and buildings, practically turning them into ice sculptures. He had not expected to reach his destination so soon, but apparently Irene had disregarded His Majesty’s orders and employed her experimental Magic to tip the scales in their favor… Not that it mattered to her, since she had to have realized by now Emperor Spriggan had perished.

“I-Invel…?”

The ice mage raised an eyebrow as he halted and stared at the once proud Spriggan Shield crawling on the ground, arms still tied behind her back and cuffed with Anti-Magic restraints.

“Dimaria. Seems this operation was too much for you to handle.” Hands clasped behind his back, and looking every bit like a teacher scolding a student, Invel shook his head in disappointment. Dimaria hissed furiously at him.

“Don’t look down your nose at me, bastard…! What have you contributed?!”

Invel sighed theatrically.

“More than you. I’ve immobilized the enemy forces that have shuffled here as a result of Irene’s mischief.” He cut the ropes that bound Dimaria’s arms. The blonde looked up at him with an awed expression, not moving from her spot.

“Universe One…? Lady Irene really used it?!”

Invel’s gaze turned skyward.

“Indeed. You should have realized it yourself, after the intense Magic built up in the atmosphere. It was most certainly Irene’s Magic…”

Dimaria winced as she rose to her feet, glaring at Invel half-heartedly as she did so.

“You’re not going to get into a big shpeal about how she went out of line…?”

The ice mage scoffed at the notion.

“Drastic times call for drastic measures. Though our victory is a foregone conclusion, we have suffered… setbacks.” He muttered distastefully, turning to the side, away from Dimaria.

“You don’t say…” Dimaria rolled her eyes.

“Four Spriggan Shields have perished. Four.” Invel waspishly shot back, surprising Dimaria. “What’s more, we have lost our Emperor to this scum. We have no other recourse but to reunite the twelve and capture Fairy Heart. After that, we’ll exterminate Ishgar and Acnologia together, just as His Majesty commanded us to do.”

Dimaria went rigid as Invel revealed the worst news. It just wasn’t possible.

“The Emperor died?! Don’t fuck with me…! He’s immortal…!”

Invel coldly glared back at her.

“You can reject reality like an obnoxious child if that’s what you’d prefer, but the rest of us will be living in the real world. I saw it myself. His Majesty’s most vile creation came to end his life – wiped out nearly 100,000 of the men in the Western flank – and mortally wounded the Emperor with a Hellfire that I have never seen before. It was the most shameful sin of my life to follow His Majesty’s will and allow END to endanger him. But I will carry the burden of that blight on my soul… so long as I am able to fulfill His Majesty’s will for this wretched world. Ishgar and Acnologia will fall, that I have promised.”

Dimaria’s body trembled as her hands curled into fists. So the Emperor was truly dead… It would feel amazing to slaughter these Ishgar mages for that insult alone… But it did trouble her that Acnologia was still, in fact, a threat. Who was supposed to wield the Fairy Heart, now that His Majesty was no longer an option?

“Seems like events have been unfolding into a most fascinating tale…” A figure dropped down in a crouch from a nearby roof, but neither Dimaria nor Invel tensed at feeling his familiar presence.

“Neinhart.” Invel tersely acknowledged the man. “You look in better shape than Dimaria.”

Dimaria’s hackles rose at the insult to her honor, but she stayed her tongue. The fact it was a teenage girl that put her in such an embarrassing state was humiliating enough.

“Oh, the bastard landed a solid hit on me, I’ll give him that…” Neinhart bitterly admitted. “Still, they should have killed me when they had the chance, rather than show mercy… A coward’s attempt at ‘honor in combat.’”

“The Emperor did suggest this was a weakness of theirs… We will have to educate them just how fatal their naiveté is. Neinhart, when we reach Magnolia, you will summon the deceased Spriggan members. The full might of the Spriggan 12 will be put on full display!”

With this declaration, the three of them began their trek, which would most assuredly be short, given Irene’s meddling with the geography.

“You think she will have arranged the troops for us?” Dimaria questioned. Invel nodded sternly.

“Irene is a shrewd tactician. The best strategy for us would be to arrange all of our forces throughout and around Magnolia, while we harvest the Fairy Heart.”

“Thousands upon thousands of soldiers… All gathered in one place.” Neinhart grinned. “They were having a tough time as it was holding us back. No way they’ll be able to break through to save their precious weapon!”

Invel pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“This will be the final decisive battle… After we’re done with Ishgar, we’ll slay Acnologia, as planned.”

~*~

- Not even an hour ago… -

Cobra sighed with his arms and legs crossed as he sat on top of Happy’s enlarged head. The three of them were flying on this furball to the East to confront the toughest guy in Alvarez, and he had elected to come along because he caught wind of Mest’s less-than-honorable plans. He didn’t like knocking out a member of Fairy Tail, but Mest’s idiocy would’ve resulted in death, for sure… At least, if Brandish’s boasts of August were true.

“Oi, would you stop flippin’ out, blondie? Yeesh. You’re probably the last person I would’ve picked to represent Fairy Tail…” He rolled his eye as the Celestial Wizard squawked at him indignantly.

“STOP READING MY MIND, JERK!”

Brandish lazily eyed Lucy even as she nuzzled contentedly in Happy’s fur.

“He’s got a point. If you act nervous around August, he’s not going to take my request very seriously. And it’s going to be hard enough explaining His Majesty’s demise without your jitters make you seem suspicious…”

Lucy visibly deflated at Brandish’s words of wisdom.

“I know…” She sighed, head hanging low. “I just wish Erza, Gray, or even Mira could have come along instead of me… They’d be totally more level-headed about this, and would definitely know what to say to this guy.”

Brandish squished her cheek against the pleasurably soft fur.

“Just be yourself. Show him respect, but don’t try to sugarcoat it. If we want a chance of convincing him, he needs to get a good read on you as a person. He’s easier to negotiate with compared to Irene, but that doesn’t mean he lacks pride as a warrior for the Alvarez kingdom. Be ready to answer some tough questions.”

Lucy shrank in on herself even more.

“Just great…” She cried exaggeratedly.

Cobra frowned slightly as he eyed the green-haired buxom woman shrewdly. Before he could voice his next questions, however, a giant wave of magical presence overwhelmed their senses, and they knew just what that indicated. Staring down below, they locked eyes with the elder mage, who did not miss a giant flying cat in the sky. Lucy was frozen in absolute terror, unable to speak.

“August, the King of Magic…” Brandish murmured, conveying many emotions while maintaining eye contact with her comrade.

Cobra bit back a small grimace, marginally more composed than Lucy.

‘Definitely bad news… If we can’t make an ally out of this guy, we are screwed.’ The maroon-haired Dragon Slayer thought to himself grimly.

Soon enough, Happy touched down, and Brandish shrank him so they could disembark. The Dragon Slayer and the Celestial Wizard stood to the right and left behind Brandish, respectively. Lucy felt jittery as she poked her fingers together, while Cobra elected to stuff his hands in his pockets. For the Dragon Slayer, they were already in the lion’s den when they sensed this man’s presence; if they were going to die, there was nothing they could do about it.

As for Brandish, she kept a completely neutral expression on her face as she faced her comrade without hesitation.

“What are you playing at, Brandish?” August finally asked, ending the tense silence that pervaded the air.

“I have come to negotiate with you, August.” Brandish answered freely. The elder mage arched an eyebrow at her candor.

“Has Jacob been killed?”

Cobra pondered whether to answer that one, but Brandish cut him off before he could open his mouth.

“He was defeated at the hands of this man here.” She lightly nudged her head back at Cobra. “He isn’t dead, but he’s been taken prisoner. What of God Serena? He should have been with you.”

August clasped a hand over his heart solemnly.

“He’s here with me.” He answered simply. His gaze intensified, making Lucy shiver. Cobra would have joined her, but he was using every ounce of self-control to not let August’s presence overwhelm him. August continued, “Now then, do you mind clarifying what you meant by ‘negotiate’?”

Brandish took a deep breath before getting into the meat of it.

“I would like you to halt your advance.” Brandish made her plea. August, too, breathed heavily through his nose as he tried deciphering Brandish’s motivations.

“From what I can gather, it doesn’t appear you’ve been tortured… Am I to interpret this as betrayal?”

Brandish shook her head solemnly.

“That couldn’t be further from the truth. I am and always will be a loyal citizen of Alvarez, through and through. It’s just… I cannot find any meaning in this war.” She voiced her doubts as clearly as possible.

August’s face became grave as he glared at Brandish.

“Those very words are in direct betrayal of His Majesty’s will. Need I remind you we Spriggan 12 have dedicated our minds, bodies, and souls to His Majesty? If, in spite of that, you still cannot comprehend why you must fight for his cause… Then you are nothing more than an enemy who must be eliminated.”

Lucy grew ghastly pale with how oppressive the atmosphere had become. Even Brandish had lost color in her cheeks, but she stood her ground. Cobra clenched a fist in his pocket, gritted his teeth to steel himself, and looked August in the eye.

“… About that.” He breathed steadily to take control of his nerves as all eyes were on him now. “Your ‘Emperor’ was killed not too long ago… Apparently by his brother, a Dragon Slayer in this country by the name of Natsu Dragneel.”

August’s eyes widened at this bit of news. Brandish knew that was quite the feat to accomplish; and she too braced herself for August’s potential rage at this bit of news. She hadn’t known how to approach that topic… and perhaps that was why Cobra had taken one for the team in relaying that information.

“His Majesty… is no more?” August’s voice was eerily quiet, his expression now indecipherable.

“A-Aye…” Happy spoke up for the first time since arriving. “I heard Zeref say that if Natsu killed him, Natsu would die, too… And Natsu definitely died!! I tried to stop him, but Natsu killed Zeref anyway!”

Tears streamed down Happy’s face as he sniffed, looking up at August. It didn’t matter to him if August killed him out of spite… He’d already lost Natsu, and that was painful enough.

August’s face hardened, which was exactly what they had all dreaded.

“If His Majesty has passed on, then there is even less reason to spare these people, Brandish. You know this.”

Finally locating some more resolve within her, Brandish shook her head swiftly as she stared right back at August unflinchingly.

“On the contrary. You know as well as I… that His Majesty had a secret desire kept hidden from most of his subjects… The very reason he went away for all those years was because he was struggling with himself, whether he should live or die!” Her voice was raw with emotion. It was difficult for her, too. Zeref had taken her in and shown her how to use Magic after her mother passed away… But even she could not deny that he harbored a suicidal nature. Because he had been forced to endure centuries of immortality…

“…” August didn’t say a word as Brandish became more sure of herself. Again, it was impossible to see or feel what he might be thinking… Not even Cobra could hear his thoughts.

“Please, August… list to me. What His Majesty attempted to achieve is absolute genocide, and nothing less. The Dragon King Festival… Ragnarok… Call it whatever you like, but in the end, it amounts to nothing but a one-sided massacre! This war is nothing but murder. It’s not a clash of noble ideals between our two countries… Surely you can tell that much?”

August stared down at the ground, deep in rumination. Lucy and Happy looked on hopefully, while Cobra was a little more guarded in his expectations. Brandish pressed on with her pleas.

“I know that among the twelve, none are wiser than you. That is why you must realize at the end of the fight, there will be no future! All that awaits us… is an empty abyss…”

August looked back up at Brandish with another unreadable expression.

“Where we are headed at the conclusion of this battle was to be decided by His Majesty. With him now deceased, it falls to us to finish what he started – whether you like it or not, he decided to…” His mouth became a thin, grim line as Brandish cut him off shrilly.

“Think for yourself!!!”

“M…Maybe you shouldn’t have laid it on so thick… Just a thought…” Lucy winced, hiding behind Brandish. But the Spriggan Shield ignored her.

“That is what I have decided to do…” She turned to the side so there was nothing between Lucy and August as the elder mage stared her down. “I have reached the conclusion that these people are not evil… far from it.”

“Th-Thanks…!” Lucy sweatdropped as she tried not to wilt under August’s intense gaze.

August turned his attention to Cobra first, however.

“You were the one that defeated Jacob… Tell me. Did you take him alive to use as a hostage? Or were you perhaps too weak of heart to end his life?”

Cobra kept his expression firm and made sure to look August directly in the eye. He knew that this was a crucial query.

“Listen, I’m no seraphic saint. Blondie here can tell you that I used to be a scumbag of a criminal… And maybe I still am. Who can honestly say whether I’ve atoned for all the shit I committed as a member of Oracion Seis? I’m the Poison Dragon Slayer, for fuck’s sake. That should tell you how many lives I’ve taken.” He shook his head somewhat exasperatedly as Lucy wordlessly begged him to shut his trap. Even Brandish was looking at him in shock because of his frankness. “But… As for that Jacob guy… Kami knows I didn’t take him down just to hold him over your head. You wanna take him back? I won’t stop you. That said, the rest of those Fairies? They’ll probably try, but only if you aggress them. They could probably understand how you feel about camaraderie – that whole Guild is about friendship, harmony, and all that crap. But it’s because they’re so honorable that they hold that Jacob guy prisoner. ‘Cause he basically held the Guild hostage to get what you guys wanted.”

“…” August fell silent again as he pondered Cobra’s words. Brandish took this opportunity to press her advantage in the negotiations.

“You see? Even a former criminal was able to come this far, thanks to Fairy Tail. If you would just talk with these mages of Ishgar, I am certain you would see they mean us no ill will. They fight because we struck first. They invaded our land because we had their Guildmaster as our effective prisoner. August, I beg you… at least try talking with them.”

August took one final deep breath, once he had mulled over Brandish’s plea for negotiation.

“Well… I suppose… I would sooner listen to what they have to say than make a fool out of you, Brandish.” August nodded his head slowly, stiffly. “As leader of the twelve, it falls to me to decide how we proceed from here.”

Lucy heaved a sigh of relief as Happy cheered, and even Cobra’s mouth twitched up a little the tiniest bit. But even so, from what August could discern from them, it was all genuine; they knew by his reputation that fighting him would be suicide, so he was used to such reactions. It was Brandish’s reaction that perplexed him the most.

“You’re the best, Grandpa~!” Brandish cutely mewled as she looked up at him gleefully. August frowned at the title.

“I have no recollection of you ever being my granddaughter…” He remarked dryly.

“But to me, you’ve always been my Grandpa~!” Brandish chirped adorably. Lucy sweatdropped as she hoped and prayed to all deities out there that Brandish’s eccentricity wouldn’t ruin their chances of negotiation… Cobra just sighed as he raked fingers through his hair.

“As touching as this is… Makarov is gonna want in on these negotiations. Is it acceptable to move this meeting to Fairy Tail…?”

Lucy stared gobsmacked at Cobra speaking for all three of them. But she dared not speak contradictory to him, after he’d made that offer. August raised his eyebrow at the Dragon Slayer.

“You would invite me, even though that was my destination to begin with…?”

Cobra shrugged nonchalantly.

“Call it a token of goodwill and trust. I’m not exactly fit to speak for a Guild I’m not even a part of… And blondie there is just a plain ol’ member, not even S-Class. I don’t think it’s proper for us to make promises that Makarov might decide we aren’t able to keep…”

August nodded indulgently.

“I see your point… Lead the way, then.”

They hadn’t even made it a few feet before something was obviously wrong. Something strange was in the air… Like some Magic was taking hold of all the land in Fiore.

“Wh-What is this…?!” Lucy yelped, looking around in bewilderment.

Brandish and August appeared they were in the know, and it was August who was the most severe…

“Irene, you wouldn’t dare cast that Magic…!”

“Universe One…” Brandish murmured.

Before Cobra could even ask what ‘Universe One’ was, there was a bright light that blinded them and eclipsed everything around them, even the landscape. And then they knew no more…

~*~

- Present –

Laxus massaged his head as he sat up. The last thing he remembered was taking down Wahl, and then he needed to lay down for a while, since he was recently cured of those Barrier Particles in that same battle. Looking around the forest he was suddenly now in, he sighed tiredly and wondered just how the hell he ended up here. He stood up and donned his coat, which wasn’t far out of reach.

“It seems you’ve made a full recovery…”

Laxus craned his head around at the source of the voice. The figure approached casually, and the Dragon Slayer knew there was no need to fight once he registered the hair and face.

“Ahh, Mystogan. Or… Jellal, I suppose I should say. You have any idea what’s going on?”

Jellal shook his head, regrettably.

“I would wager that the enemy somehow changed the landscape to fit their advantage. We aren’t near Hargeon anymore; instead, I believe Magnolia is close at hand.”

Laxus’s mouth gaped slightly.

“Magnolia…? That’s one hell of a Spell for them to just whip out… If they could do that, why not do so in the beginning?”

“I’m afraid I don’t know any of the details,” Jellal remarked. “It’s a very new type of Magic, since I had never even heard of something of this scale in legends… But my senses don’t lie. We’ve definitely been moved around, geographically. And I imagine it’s not just us – there’s no point in setting just the two of us back in Magnolia; Alvarez doesn’t want anything from Hargeon, and Kagura and many others are still powerful enough to deal with the threat in Hargeon.”

Laxus crossed his arms patiently.

“You’re right… None of it adds up, unless their purpose was to move their own forces into Magnolia and take our First Master… Or more accurately, the ‘Fairy Heart’, which houses our First Master’s body… it’s got infinite Magical power.”

Jellal’s eyes widened a bit in realization before he inclined his head.

“I see… So that is one of their goals in this war. I had not heard that bit of information yet…”

“Yeah, well, we weren’t going to drag anyone into this struggle in the first place, but it kind of got too big for one little Guild to handle, when Alvarez threw everything our way. In order to survive, getting help from the other Guilds was necessary. Having Crime Sorciere’s power backing us up will also be appreciated.”

“Since Natsu did the difficult part and killed Zeref, the least we can do is help crush Zeref’s forces.” Jellal affirmed. “Meldy and I were helping out in Hargeon, while the former Oracion Seis were headed for the battlefield in the North.”

Laxus grimaced slightly and dipped his head respectfully, shutting his eyes.

“I see, you heard about that Pyro as well…”

“The enemy brought him back to fight Erza,” Jellal revealed, causing Laxus to growl in rage.

“Bastards… Alvarez has a lot to answer for!”

Their discussion was broken up as a few more joined their party.

“Heeey! Laxus!” Wendy called out to her fellow Dragon Slayer as Charle carried Chelia over her shoulder, and Gray, Juvia, and Lyon walked beside them.

“Jellal, too?” Gray mumbled, hands stuffed in his pockets. “You guys know where we are?”

“Close to Magnolia.” Jellal answered. “We’re going to need to head straight there; I have a feeling that Alvarez has rearranged the board in their favor, so now we will have to take back Fairy Tail.”

“You really think Alvarez has that much power to cast such a Spell?” Lyon wondered, skeptically.

“It’d have to be someone from their side…” Charle mused. “No one we know has a kind of Magic that can move us from Hargeon to Magnolia…”

“It must be one of the Spriggan 12.” Juvia stated, frowning.

Lightning crackled around Laxus’s fist as he clenched it at chest level.

“It doesn’t matter what they did… They messed with our friends, our Guilds, so they’re not gonna get any mercy from me. Let’s head home… to Fairy Tail.”

~*~

“Wh…What is this…?! Everyone’s gone again?!” Mavis asked in horror as she once again stood in a Guildhall bereft of anyone. She could feel some bizarre Spell had been cast… But it was on such a wide scale that Mavis couldn’t believe such a Spell existed.

And she’d been so happy when Cana had managed to free her body from that crystal, too… But now, she was alone again…

“My, my… That’s very rude. I’m here, you know.”

Mavis gasped as a scarlet-haired woman, dressed like a witch, casually strode into the Guildhall. The strange woman’s Magic power was incredible… obscene… It was on an entirely different scale from that assassin’s strength, and he’d been more powerful than Makarov!

“Y-You…!” Mavis choked out, but the redhead wagged her finger.

“I wouldn’t get any ideas about trying to escape… Why don’t you come outside, and see for yourself?” Turning on her heel, the woman exited the doors to the Guildhall. Reluctantly, Mavis found herself slowly following after her. The sight she saw next… chilled her to the bone.

The landscape in Magnolia had been shifted greatly. The Guild was now on top of a hill, and at least one million soldiers were arrayed in an overwhelming formation at the base of the hill, easily encircling it. What’s more, there were some others just outside the Guildhall… a couple of them had even been locked up, in the Guild’s prison.

“Your comrades are currently making their way here, in order to take back the Guild.” The woman told Mavis, placing a hand on the blonde’s shoulder. “I do wonder, will they be able to break through our defenses? I cannot wait to find out~…”

Ajeel cackled.

“Not a chance in Hell!!! Not as long as Ajeel the Great is here, standing in their way!”

Jacob snorted beside him.

“That so, bigshot? I seem to recall you losing quite pathetically…”

“Look who’s talking, asshole!!” Ajeel fired back. He then donned a terrifying grin. “That fluke ain’t gonna happen again.”

“Naturally…” Jacob darkly agreed.

August strode up to Irene and slammed his staff on the ground. Brandish trailed behind him.

“Irene… you are out of line! His Majesty forbade you from using Universe One… and you know why.” The elder mage glowered at her, which Irene met with an even stare.

“His Majesty was killed, thus leaving the leadership of Alvarez in the hands of the Spriggan 12… And I have captured our target. You have no room to criticize me, O Mighty King~…” The redhead demurely responded. August’s face darkened.

“I am the General of the Spriggan 12, Irene, not you… And I gave my word to the mages of Fairy Tail that I would be open to negotiations. This war has taken a toll on both sides.”

“Truly?” Irene’s grip tightened on Mavis’s shoulder. “You, of all people, would forgive the fact they murdered our Emperor in cold blood…? And what’s more, you would abandon your pledge to make his will for this world a reality?”

The air between the two strongest mages of Alvarez grew frigid and heavy as they glared at each other. Mavis, Brandish, Jacob, and Ajeel were frozen in place with how much tension there was. But then, as if to break the stalemate, Invel’s voice cut in like a knife.

“I am afraid you are the one out of line, Magic King…” He stopped a short distance from the two, hands clasped behind his back. Dimaria and Neinhart were both behind him. “With His Majesty’s demise, it falls to us to avenge him, as well as kill Acnologia and humanity, such as his will dictated. There is absolutely no reason to even entertain ‘negotiations’…”

August slammed his staff on the ground once more, asserting his authority.

“I, too, followed His Majesty’s will unconditionally… But we must also remember: His Majesty wished to die. For centuries as he traveled the world and built Alakitasia from the ground up… his one and only wish was to have his immortal life extinguished. This desire to eradicate humanity and Acnologia together… was borne from the bitter despair of being unable to perish. We have no reason to carry out genocide, when his true dream was finally realized!”

Invel sighed airily, inclining his head slightly as his eyes closed.

“Such hubris, from our so-called mightiest mage…The circumstances for His Majesty’s desire for genocide are immaterial. It was his will that we would rise up and defeat Acnologia. And it was also his will that we would crush Ishgar under our heel…” Invel’s eyes snapped open as he coldly glared at August. “You are unfit to lead the Spriggan 12, if you can no longer recognize that much. You are relieved of your position as ‘General’…”

August’s eyes narrowed.

“You would dare to presume to have such authority, Invel? Only His Majesty wielded that right…”

“Zeref is dead, and so the leadership falls to you, me, and Irene.” Invel spoke matter-of-factly. He eyed the scarlet-haired woman. “Tell me, Irene, what is your opinion on this subject? Do you believe August is fit to lead?”

Irene grinned darkly as she did a small curtsy.

“Oh, I certainly agree, Invel… The Magic King does speak some bizarre things. I have sent Acnologia far away with Universe One, and Fairy Heart is within our grasp.” She placed her hand on top of Mavis’s head and gripped harshly. “We should begin the harvest of Fairy Heart immediately.”

Invel nodded sternly.

“Agreed. I will leave that task to you, and oversee our defenses personally.” Invel then regarded August once more. “You have this one chance to help us willingly, August… If you will not cooperate, I will find ways to persuade you.”

August’s face darkened once more, and he raised his staff to cast a Spell, but he was distracted when Brandish cried out in pain from behind him. He turned, alarmed, and witnessed one of Invel’s slave collars around her neck.

“Invel…!” August’s voice boomed with authority, but the ice mage wasn’t having any of it.

“It is no secret to us that, no matter how trivial that intimacy may be, you are close enough with Brandish that you would not see her harmed in any way…” Invel replied frostily. August knew he was not bluffing; he could make Brandish kill herself, so long as she had that collar on. “Now do as I say, and crush Fairy Tail alongside us!”

August shook with unbridled rage, but for the moment, he did keep himself in check… With a ferocious snarl, the Magic King stormed off. Only once August had gone did Invel release Brandish.

“The same will apply to you, Brandish… We will need every member of the twelve for this operation to succeed. I would rather not have to force my hand…” He spoke with a clinical coolness before striding off, himself. Brandish glared holes in the back of his head, but did not pursue him. Dimaria was the next one to approach her.

“Randi…” Dimaria greeted.

“Mari.” Brandish greeted back.

“I had heard you were captured. They didn’t treat you horribly, did they?”

“No…” Brandish responded tersely, and widened her eyes when Dimaria abruptly wrapped her in a hug.

“I won’t say any of those awful and cruel things to you ever again!” Dimaria sobbed. “I’m gonna pay those fiends back tenfold for laying their hands on you…!”

Brandish could say nothing in response to Dimaria’s emotional display. She was still so shocked by how quickly things were spiraling out of control, and she was still so angry with Invel disrespecting August and threatening her life… Even if she was still a loyal citizen of Alvarez, she was not loyal to Invel anymore… No matter how much he asserted his authority as Chief of Staff.

A light glowed nearby, as Larcade Dragneel was summoned by Neinhart.

“Friendship is one of the world’s greatest beauties…” The strange man chuckled to himself.

Mavis whirled on the man as she got a feel for his power.

‘That person’s Magic… What on Earthland… just what nature of Magic is that?!’

Irene smirked, still gripping Mavis tightly.

“Larcade was supposed to be the proverbial secret weapon, in His Majesty’s initial designs… Sadly, now that he is but a Historia, that potential has diminished to being just a strong fighter for us… I very much doubt he could defeat Acnologia in his current condition.” The redhead mused.

Neinhart could feel some sweat drip down his face as he conjured the other three Historias.

“Conjuring four Spriggan 12 members’ worth of Historias certainly takes its toll on me, I must admit…”

Bloodman cackled.

“I see… So I hath returned from the depths of the underworld…”

“Well, well, would ya look at this… the twelve have all gathered together… Ahyahyahya!!” Wahl cackled as well.

God Serena did a little eccentric dance of his own.

“Hmm…! Ho, ho, ho!” The Dragon Slayer struck a pose. “God Serena of the Eight Dragons… has been resurrected!”

Neinhart growled as he glared at the four Historias.

“I would like to remind you four that you’re already long dead. I’d advise you to protect me diligently, lest you disappear from the living realm… permanently…”

“Just leave it to godly me!” Serena boasted arrogantly.

Irene made a grandiose gesture with her free hand.

“One million soldiers… the twelve all reunited… Truly a magnificent sight to behold!”

Invel walked to the edge of the hill, hands still behind him.

“We have assembled a perfect, impenetrable battle formation… Do you still dare to come here, Fairy Tail?” He asked rhetorically. His tone took on a frigid tone once more. “I shall not allow you to see tomorrow…”

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