Vivian's P. O. V:
Rage courses through my veins as I raise my eyes to look at Neridah through my bangs. I was so furious... I don't think I've ever been this angry before.
"Aaahhh! Viv-chan is scary!" Gray, Natsu and Happy exclaim as the blue Exceed clings to Lucy's leg.
"Whoa. I don't think I've ever seen her this angry before," Says Lucy.
"I can't remember the last time Vivian got this angry," Says Erza, just as shocked as the others as she gazes at me with wide eyes. "She's usually so kind and happy."
"It would seem as though Neridah's actions have pushed her over the edge," Charlele says, eyeing me wearily.
"Fire Magic: Fire Bullet!" Neridah unleashes a massive bullet towards me. There's a pink blur as Natsu gets in front of me and sucks up the flames in his mouth.
"Fire Dragon... Roar!" The Dragneel expels a powerful breath attack back at Neridah.
"Water Magic: Water Dome," She says, creating a defensive dome to block the attack.
I dash around Natsu while thrusting my rapier forwards, emitting bursts of green energy. "Valkyrie Sword Magic: Oblique!" I rapidly thrust my sword for Neridah, and one of my thrusts gets her right side. "Valkyrie Sword Magic: Streak." I slash my sword in an upward diagonal, knocking Neridah back, but missing the thread tying the Crystallite to her neck.
"Ice Make: Saucer!" Gray sends out a razor wheel of ice at Neridah but she makes an ice shield to block it.
"Open, Gate of the Scorpion: Scorpio!"
Scorpio appears and points his tail at Neridah. "Sand Buster!" A torrent of sand is shot at Neridah.
"Sand Rebellion!" To our surprise, Neridah generates a large amount of sand, and, with a gesture of her hand, prompts it to start revolving around her opponent, surrounding them. She then swipes both of her hands, causing the sand to literally explode in a powerful blast which damages the celestial spirit.
"Scorpio!" Lucy exclaims.
"Sorry, Lucy! I'm out," He says before disappearing.
Neridah laughs before receiving a flame filled punch to the face that knocks her back. Erza was there while spinning her lightning spear and shooting out a beam of electricity at Neridah.
It hits Neridah, causing her to scream.
"Diagonal Sting!" I appear before we and sweep my blade in an upward diagonal before slashing it back down, making Neridah scream again.
"Sky Dragon Roar!" Wendy expels a powerful breath attack that slams into Neridah, throwing her back yet again.
"Ice Make: Seven Slice Dance," Gray says, crouching before Neridah with blades of ice growing out of his elbows. Gracefully, he spins and slashes at her with those blades of ice. Neridah gives a pained cry as she stumbles backwards.
She catches her footing while glaring hatefully at us. "Sand Magic," She says lowly, holding her hand upwards, "Sand Shower!" Needles of sand rain down on us from above. Lucy cries out as they graze her skin.
I summon my Valkyrie shield to block the attack.
"Valkyrie Sword Magic: Shooting Star!" I launch myself for Neridah as I thrust my sword at her, emitting bursts of green energy.
Neridah summons her twin longswords and I use the tip of my rapier to block her vicious swings. We exchange violent swings for a few minutes, our blades moving like quicksilver, our bodies blurring.
"Valkyrie Sword Magic: Diagonal Sting," I say before sweeping my blade up, then down. She deflects this attack too. "Valkyrie Sword Magic: Linear!" I thrust my sword for her and manage to graze Neridah's left side again, causing her to stumble backwards.
Neridah then holds her hand out to us, "Sand's Embrace!" Sand suddenly begins to creep up our bodies.
"Wh-What is this?!" Erza exclaims as she's being held down by the sand.
"The sand is crawling over me!" Lucy says wearily.
I thrust my sword at the sand creeping along my legs. "Valkyrie Sword Magic: Starburst!" I send a bold of electricity at the sand and it causes the sand to fall off my legs, allowing for me to move freely once more.
I appear next to Neridah and time seems to slow as I swing the hilt of my sword around. Neridah lets out a pained cry as my sword hilt strikes her in the side of the head, knocking her away.
"Why you...!" Neridah whirls back to me only to see me right in front of her, my gaze trained on the Crystallite around her neck.
"Valkyrie Sword Magic: Streak!" I sweep my blade in a diagonal and it slashes right through the thread tying the crystal around her neck. Neridah gapes at me as I prepare my next move. "Valkyrie Sword Magic: Seven Deadly Sins!"
I thrust my sword at her seven times before tracing it in a D formation. Neridah screams as she collapses. The sand attack fades and I straighten up as I see Neridah's demonic features returning to normal.
Her once pink glowing eyes are now brown again, her elongated canines back to their original length, and her claws are normal human fingers once more.
I bend down to pick up the Crystallite as I sheathe my rapier and Neridah sobs out of frustration.
"N-No! I wanted... I wanted to be strong!" She was saying as my teammates come over. "I wanted to be powerful! I don't want to be weak anymore."
"Power and strength have to be earned," I say, clutching the Crystallite. "There are no shortcuts to power. You have to discover that on your own."
"Well said, Viv," Comments the Scarlet with a smile.
I smile back at her.
"So, it's over?" Happy asks.
"It would seem so," Says Charlele.
"Alllrrriigghhttt! We've completed our first S-class, you guys!" Natsu cheers, fist pumping the air.
"I wasn't worried for a minute," Says Gray, arms crossed over his bare chest, for he was naked again.
"Where are your clothes, Gray?!" I shout at him, flustered. This causes the Fullbuster to start, flailing his arms around as he looks around desperately.
"Ah! When did I do that?!"
We can't help but laugh.
🗡🗡🗡
The following morning, Wendy has tended to all of our wounds and we were all bandaged up. Except for the Exceeds of course. Neridah has been tied up and we're dropping her off at Era on the way home.
We'd buried the bodies of Rei and Liana, and had tied up Neridah and Victoria. We were taking them to Era on our way home.
I say as I hold out the Crystallite to Hajime, his wife and daughter sitting next to him, "Hajime-sama, I think this belongs to you."
He nods his head as he takes the Crystallite. "Thank you very much, Fairy Tail. It is thanks to you my village and island are safe."
"Perhaps it would be wise to destroy it instead of dealing it?" Erza suggests. "If it were to be sealed away, more non mages like Neridah would just come after it."
Hajime nods his head as he agrees, "You are quite right, Erza-san. If I may," Here, he switches his gaze to me, holding out the Crystallite, "would you take this to the Magic Council to have it destroyed?"
"Of course," I say as I take back the crystal.
"So, do we get our money, now?!" Gasps Lucy, hands clasped together as her brown eyes sparkle.
"Don't be rude, Lucy!" I chose her. She pours slightly. Hajime lets out a hearty chuckle.
"How could I forget your payment?" He says, gesturing for Kiba to bring over a chest and open it, revealing our payment. "You did succeed in returning the Crystallite, after all."
"Thank you!" Natsu, Gray and Lucy exclaim, actual money signs flickering in the Heartfilia's eyes.
"Lucy's gone crazy again!" Happy mocks, snickering. Lucy shoots him a glare.
"Shut it, Fleabag!"
I take the chest, which was quite heavy, as I bow my head in gratitude and say, "Thank you very much, Hajime-sama."
He smiles.
Suki speaks up, "We would be honoured to get you a ride home, if you'd like?" Kiba looks sad by this for some reason.
"Thank you," I say as I glance at my friends, "but we've already got a ride."
My friends and I get our bags and are escorted by Kiba and Stella out to the beach, where our pirate ship was waiting. We have a tied up Neridah and Victoria with us.
"Ahoy, me mateys, me beauties!" Captain Levi calls, waving, from the wheel. His crew waves towards us as well,
"Heeeyy, Viv-chan," Says Kiba as he appears beside me and slips an arm over my shoulders, causing me to gain a flat expression, "maybe before you go, you and I should go on a date?"
I send him a closed eye smile as Natsu and Gray jaw drop from the side, Lucy and Wendy gasping in shock. While Kiba was handsome, with his spiky brown hair and deep brown eyes, he just wasn't Roguey, you know?
"Thank you, Kiba, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your offer. You see, I already have a boyfriend," I tell him. I open my eyes once more to see the brunette anime falling, feet twitching, before he jumps back up to his feet.
"Y-Y-You do?!" He exclaims, ignoring the death glare Stella is giving him. I nod as I hum. "Wh-Who is he?!"
"He's just a really strong Dragon Slayer, from another guild," I explain. Kiba seems to deflate even more at this. "I'm sure you'll find someone eventually." I switch my gaze to the blonde next to him. "Perhaps you could ask Stella out on a date?" Here, the two guards glance at one another, before their faces turn red, and they quickly jerk their heads away.
"U-Um... I-It never even crossed our minds," Says Stella. Why do I get the feeling they actually like each other?
I giggle as I turn and start for the boat, waving to the two guards. "Good luck, you two!"
"You should come visit anytime!" Kiba calls as we board the boat. I take Neridah and Victoria into a cabin and close the door behind me as I rejoin my teammates on deck.
Gray, Lucy, Wendy, Erza and I gather at the railing, the Exceeds standing on it, while Natsu slumps over it due to his motion sickness.
Lucy calls back, grinning, "You bet we will!"
"And next time it will be for a vacation!" Adds Gray, wearing his white trench coat.
"Alright, Levi!" I calls as I point ahead of us, a wide grin on my face, the sea breeze tossing my long, light chestnut brown hair and red and white tunic. "Take us home, Levi! Take us home!"
The captain of the boat just looks exaggerated by my request.