Disclaimer: Hey guys! Firestorm40 here with a new chapter for you all. This chapter, Grimoire Heart makes their debut with a few changes. I want to say thanks to everyone who voted on the story so far and I hope you all continue to enjoy it. So without further ado, Enjoy!
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(With Natsu and the others)
"Damn that guy," Natsu said, grabbing at his scarf, "He completely ruined the scarf Igneel gave me."
"I'm sorry," Happy said softly.
"Yeah, I can tell it's important." Lucas said.
"It completely clashes with everything I'm wearing!" Natsu said angrily. That caught the group off guard.
"Yeah, it was kinda like a ying-yang type of thing." Sora replied.
"Since when did you care about fashion?" Evergreen asked.
"I always did!" Natsu answered, "Why do you think I wear black? Because it looks good next to the scarf."
"I thought your favorite color was red," Elfman said.
"It is," Natsu answered, "But I'm not going to wear red! Its the same color as my fire!"
"Why don't you just turn your vest inside out then?" Sora offered, seeing this was going to get them nowhere.
Nastu thought about it, before he then grabbed his vest, and turned it inside out, showing the white inside.
"There're we go!" he declared.
Lexi just looked at them with a sweatdrop. "Seriously....?"
"Of all the people to concern themselves about that, Natsu's the last," Evergreen said.
"Wait!" Happy called, "What about the exam?"
"With a guy like that lurking about, we shouldn't focus on the exam," Kiki answered.
"The hell we shouldn't focus!" Natsu yelled, "If I quit, I would just be breaking my promise to Gildarts."
"A man can't stop a challenge halfway through!" Elfman said, "I've got to hold up to my sister's level!"
"Not to mention I finally beat Red! There's no way I'm quitting either!"
The three glowered at each other.
"They sure dropped that 'strange guy' issue quickly." Evergreen commented
"That guy was kind of creepy, but he didn't seem like a bad guy," Happy said.
"Tell that to the trees he killed." Lucas said.
"Come on Happy!" Natsu said as he started running, "We got an exam to win!"
"Let's go Evergreen!" Elfman said.
"Shut up!"
"Let's go, buddy!" Sora said as he took off with Lucas
After the four of them ran off, Lexi and Kiki reminded in the area for a while.
"So what are we going to do?" Kiki asked her partner.
"Hmmm...I guess we continue the exam like the others, but also keep an eye out for that strange guy. There was something about him that made unnerved me a bit." Lexi said as she folded her arms.
"Got it. I'm also sure Sora and the others are going to do the same thing." Kiki replied, before the duo took off running.
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(in the sky)
"We've waited so long for this," Hades said, as he tapped his fingers on his throne, "Did so much to acquire the keys. And now Zeref is within our grasp."
"Don't forget about Fairy Tail," Ultear said, "They are on the island, which is their home turf. Fairy Tail did, after all, defeat the Oracion Seis, and some of their most powerful members are on this island."
"Pfft...who cares about that? They don't hold a candle to what we have in store for them." Said a man with dark spiky back hair, pointed ears and brownish-gold eyes. A devilish smirk spread across his face as he looked over at others with his arms surrounded in shadows.
"He's right!" a guy with wild blonde hair, and red, concentric eyes said, as his body swirled up with black flames, "They'll be reduced to ashes!"
"Don't underestimate any of them, Vanidas,Zancrow." a tall guy who could only be described as a goat man said, "We've been preparing for this day, and all that preparation was important." He was Caprico of Grimoire Heart.
"Indeed," a guy with glasses, and lavender hair that was swept up, "Our guild will be triumphant, as Fairy Tail crumbles before us.".
"I... I...," a fat guy with messy black hair, and white skin, "IcompletelyagreeRustyrose!"
"Don't talk so much, Kain!" Zancrow yelled.
"He said 'I completely agree Rustyrose'," a small girl with short pink hair said.
"Ready for this, Meredy? Ultear asked, smiling at the girl.
"Indeed," the girl, Meredy, said, "This will go well."
"I'm just dying to break some fairy wings." Vanidas commented.
"Impressive, is it not?" Hades said as he rose from his throne, "All the darkness that's collected here. Demons and fairies will clash, and only one will still be standing when its done. Let's find out which one."
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(With Mest and Wendy)
Meanwhile, Mest makes a sinister face as he senses "his" presence and ponders whether he should "report back" or wait a little longer.
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(With Lucy and Cana)
Around the island, the S-Class Trial participants continue to look for the grave of the Guild's first founder, Mavis.
The grave of Fairy Tail's founding master, Mavis..." Lucy and Cana have a discussion about the grave's location.
"Got anything?" Cana asked.
"It's no use... Searching for a grave without even a hint! I haven't got a clue." Lucy replied. 'I wonder if Sora and Lucas found anything...'
"That's the big problem, yeah..." Cana sighed. "Are there really no hints? I've participated in the exams 4 times in the past, so I've got a feeling... I don't think there's ever been an exam that was unreasonable." Lucy listens closely to what she has to say. "I'm sure there has to be a hint hidden somewhere."
"I see. So the second test is about brain power." Lucy stated. She thinks very hard about possible hints of where the grave might be. "Brain power, huh? Thinking of it that way, maybe the words themselves could hold a clue."
"The words?" Cana quoted.
"Yeah. Like for example... Grave! We think that it's got to be a place, right? But it could be interpreted as the 'final stop of life'." Lucy explained.
"That's so negative of you." Cana commented.
"Grave... Grave..." Lucy repeats the words as she figures out the meaning of it. Cana kicks away the lizard that has been approaching them. "A keyword? Maybe it's a sentence?"
Then Cana hears someone grunting under their breaths nearby. "Did I just hear something? Maybe it's my imagination." She muttered.
Behind the bushes, the lizard shapely bites Gray's head as Loke tries to shut him up by covering his mouth.
"'I'll make this place your grave!', etc... 'Marriage is the grave of one's life.'" Lucy says some random phrases.
"God, you're negative." Cana sweat dropped. "There's got to be something more Lucy-like you can think of... Like 'Even if people die, they become stars!'" She mocked.
"Um... Is that the way people picture me? Well, it might not be that far off, I suppose." Lucy muttered. "Oh, I know..." She stands up. "That's it! I bet I know where the grave is!"
"What?"
"Follow me!" Lucy leads Cana to where the grave might be.
"Ooh, impressive!"
Gray and Loke emerge from the bushes. Gray had a frozen lizard in his hands with a bandaid on the place where the lizard bit him.
"As expected from Lucy..." Loke commented.
"She's a lucky one." Gray added.
"Hurry up! I bet Levy will have solved this by now!" Lucy suspected.
"Just as you guessed, Loke."
"Sorry Lucy, but I think this second test is designed to test Brian power and 'how much you want it'." Gray exclaimed. "Let's go follow them!"
"Okay!" Gray and Loke chase after them.
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(With Livy and Gajeel)
Levy was close to banging her head on a rock, with Gajeel.
"Where the hell's the grave!" Gajeel snapped, "Just find a damn path!"
"You trying to destroy my hearing, or something?" Levy asked.
"I'm just so angry!" Gajeel said, "I want to punch Salamander and Lionheart!"
"I'm still here, you know," Levy said, "I'm the one whose trying to be S-Class, after all! All you care about is picking fights!" Gajeel looked at her before smirking.
"What, you want some attention, shrimp?" he asked, patting her head smugly, "Then let's fight! You and me!" Levy tightened her fists.
"Stupid Gajeel!" she snapped, as she ran away
"Hey!" the Iron Dragon Slayer yelled, "Where're you going!"
"Away from you!" Levy answered, as she kept running into the woods, ignoring Gajeel's calls.
As Levy ran, she teared up slightly. 'Just when I thought he was becoming a good guy, he just who's how much of a selfish asshole he is!' she thought, I hate him so much!' As she ran, she eventually stopped and sat down, curling up.
"Why's he...," she muttered, still softly crying. Then she heard the bushes rustling slightly.
"Gajeel?" she asked, "If you're here to...." However, right then, a goat man and a rooster man erupted out of the bushes. The goat man drew his sword, and swung it, which Levy barely managed to avoid, though it cut her hair band clear in two.
"Wait!" Levy said, "Who..." However, before she could finish, she was grabbed, and pinned by the rooster man.
"Die with honor!" the goat man declared, as he brought his sword down. Levy cried out as the sword came down at her. However, a sudden shadow jumped down, and blocked the sword. It turned out to be Gajeel.
"You idiot," Gajeel said, "Finding you's a pain, so stay at with me." Levy looked up, before smiling gentle.
"Thank you," she said.
"So who are these guys?" Gajeel asked, as Levy jumped to her feet. She then noticed the symbols they carried.
"They're from Grimoire Heart," she said.
"So did the master set up an extra challenge?" Gajeel asked.
"Of course not," Levy said, "Grimoire Heart is part of the Balam Alliance. They must have somehow found their way in."
"Oh well, let's take advantage of this," Gajeel said, "If we can beat these guys, you'll definitely become S-Class."
"Don't get reckless," Levy said, "These guys are tough. We shouldn't go charging into battle."
"You legal guilds are so stuck in your ways," the goat man, who was named Yomazu, said, "All you can think about is your rules."
"*b'gawk* Rules don't exist in real battle!" the rooster man, who was named Kawazu, said.
"What're you guys doing here?" Levy demanded. Yomazu smirked.
"To kill us some fairies!" he answered as he held up his sword, "Solid Script: Sound!" An Eastern symbol for "sound" suddenly flashed into existence, as the area was lit up with a horrible noise. Both Fairy Tail mages cried out as they covered their ears.
"Magic made from words?" Gajeel said, "Can't you use that magic?"
"That's a variant from the East!" Levy answered. As the two struggled against the scream, Kawazu then charged the group, which was noticed by Levy.
"Gajeel!" she called. But her partner couldn't hear her over the scream. As Kawazu leapt at them, Levy managed to pull Gajeel out of the way, but Kawazu then turned, and opened his beak.
"Egg Buster!" Eggs rained down over them, where they hatched, and the yolks turned to fists, pummeling the two. During this, Yomazu leapt at them again, bringing down his sword, which Gajeel rolled out of the way of. As he tried to avoid the attacks, Levy thought quickly, and pulled out her pen.
"Solid Script: Silence!" she said. The letters "silence" appeared, blocking the sound symbol, as it cancelled out the noise.
"My magic!" Yomazu shouted.
"Take this you bastard!" Gajeel said, as he thrust his Iron Dragon's club at him, knocking the goat man away.
"* b'gawk* Take this!" Kawazu said as he sprayed more of his eggs.
"Solid Script: Fire!" Levy said, as she actively cooked the eggs. Meanwhile, Yomazu swung his sword.
"Solid Script: Cut!" The symbol for "cut" appeared, slicing through literally everything around him. Gajeel held up his arms to block, but the sword cut through his Iron Dragon Scales.
"Egg Buster!" Kwanzaa said, as he pummeled Levy again, as she was unable to block all of them. During this, Yomazu continued to cut through Gajeel again and again, as he left a large gash over his side.
"Gajeel," Levy said weakly, looking up.
"Dark Sword: Naru-Kami!" Yams said, as he cut straight through Gajeel.
"No!" Levy cried, as her partner collapsed to the ground. She then crawled towards him.
"This was almost disappointing," Yomazu said, "If everyone else is at that level, we won't even need everyone else."
"Wait?" Gajeel rasped out, "What do you *wheeze* 'everyone else'?"
"* b'gawk* Looks like he's still alive," Kawazu said, "Well that's easy to fix."
"I mean the rest of the guild, that's what," Yomazu answered, much to Gajeel's shock, "Once the rest of Grimoire Heart arrives, it's going to turn this island to dust."
"The entire dark guild is coming?" Levy whimpered.
"Run, Levy," Gajeel said, "You need to warn the others."
"I can't leave you!" Levy said.
"Just go!" Gajeel yelled, "I'll deal with these guys!"
"No way!" Levy snapped, surprising her partner, "What kind of Fairy Tail mage would I be if I left my partner in the middle of the fight!" She then heaved Gajeel up slightly.
"You and I are in this together," she said, "Now are you going to deal with it, or are you going to whine?"
"Let's finish this," Yomazu said, "The more fairies we execute, the better we'll looking to the Master." He then drew his sword.
"* b'gawk*!"
"Let's show them what happens when they mess with Fairy Tail!" Levy said, "Solid Script: Iron!" A big block of iron landed in front of Gajeel.
"Can't fight on an empty stomach, right?" Levy asked with a wink. Gajeel looked at her and smiled.
"You'd make one heck of a wife," he said.
"Don't get any ideas smart guy." As Gajeel started chomping on the iron, there was something about it he began to notice. Levy had infused an amount of her own magic in the iron, which began to merge with Gajeel's. There was then a sudden of explosion of magic around Gajeel, which blew Levy away.
"What's this!" Yomazu demanded. Levy looked up, she recognized this before. It was very similar to what happened with Sora and Natsu ate sunlight or fire, respectively.
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(Flashback)
"You're going to pay for messing with Fairy Tail!" Natsu yelled
(End Flashback)
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Gajeel rose to his feet slowly.
"You want to mess with Fairy Tail, then you're going to pay," he said. He then opened his eyes.
"Let's go!"
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(With Erza and Juvia)
Erza and Juvia looked up with they felt a explosion going off the direction they were heading.
"What was that?" Juvia asked, more alert.
"I don't know. But let's go find out." Erza said.
With that in mind, they started running in that direction.
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(with Sora and Lucas)
Sora suddenly sensed a massive power coming from somewhere on the island, as he looked around.
"What is it?" Lucas asked.
"Dragon Slayer Magic," was all Sora said.
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(with Gajeel and Levy)
The power surged around Gajeel, as his felt his power restored. Levy could only stare. 'This is just like the power that Sora-nii can use,' she thought. Yomazu and Kawazu stared, as they both began to shake slightly, feeling the power that was radiating off their opponent.
"So what if he has this power!" Kawazu said, "We'll still get him!" He then opened his mouth, and pointed his head upwards, as he started spitting out eggs, which rained down on Gajeel, before exploding. The Dragon Slayer formed his Iron Dragon Scales around him, blocking all the eggs, not even leaving a scratch.
"That it?" Gajeel asked, looking up.
"Far from it!" Yomazu answered, as he jumped forward, "Solid Script: Cut!" The symbol flared up, and cut at him. However, the blow deflected off the scales.
"What is this!" Yomazu demanded as he slashed at Gajeel, who caught it.
"You've already lost," Gajeel said, looking at the goat man. From his arm, sprouted several fists made out of iron. The fists punched Yomazu away. The fists then reshaped themselves into what looked like open dragon mouths. The mouths grabbed onto Yomazu, and slammed him into the ground. During all this, Levy watched in a state of awe.
"Is this the true power of a Dragon Slayer?" she muttered.
"Don't forget about me!" Kawazu declared, as he leapt at Gajeel. He spat more of his eggs at Gajeel, but again, they easily deflected off Gajeel's scales. From Gajeel's back, shot several iron poles, which knocked Kawazu in the gut. The iron poles then came together, and formed a dragon head, which opened its mouth, and released a massive storm of dragon iron, which sent the rooster man flying.
"And who says rooster's can't fly?" Gajeel sneered. Yomazu then leapt at him, bring down his sword. Gajeel, however, held up his arm, as the sword broke off when it collided. Yomazu barely had time to even be surprised, as Gajeel's leg came up, and kicked the goat away. The Iron Dragon Slayer then opened his hands, as a series of spinning iron stars appeared in them.
"Iron Dragon's Demon Shuriken!" He then sent the stars flying at Yomazu slashing him up. Kawazu then made the mistake to charge him again. Gajeel then turned.
"Iron Dragon's Mace!" His hand turned into an iron mace, striking him away. Looking over the Grimoire Heart members, who refused to stay down, he took a breath. Then he cracked his knuckles.
"Forget dragon fire or solar light," he said, "Let's see what dragon iron can do." He then held up both of his arms, both of them forming into massive jagged swords.
"Iron Dragon's Demon Swords!" Gajeel then swung them at his respective opponents, who only just managed to get out of the way. The swords cut through dozens of trees in the process. Massive spears then shot out of swords, twisting after the Grimoire Heart members. The spears sent them all sprawling to the ground.
"You bastard!" Yomazu said, weakly looking up.
"We aren't down yet!" Kawazu said. The two tried to rise up to their feet, but then they saw the massive form looming over them. Broad metallic wings, a rectangular head with massive teeth, and a spiked body, glaring down on them.
"You're seriously going to regret screwing with Fairy Tail," Gajeel said. He then inhaled.
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(Flashback)
As he munched on some scrap, Gajeel pondered his options. Now that Phantom Lord was gone, he was out of a job. Somehow the Council came to mind.
"Yeah," he muttered, "Over my dead body."
"Don't knock anything until you've tried it!" Gajeel glanced down, and saw a small mustached man standing beneath him.
"Yo!"
"Master Makarov!" Gajeel said in surprise, "What're you doing here!"
"Juvia recently joined Fairy Tail," Makarov answered, much to Gajeel's surprise, "Believe it or not, she's kind of worried about you."
"What would she care?"
"She is your friend after all," Makarov answered, "Why don't you come and join her?"
"What!" Gajeel snapped, "You seriously think I would like that?"
"I think you don't like being alone," Makarov answered, "Point me to a person who truly does." Gajeel was silent at that.
"But I...."
"Destroyed the guild, just wood and rock," Makarov said.
"But your members...."
"Now that I cannot forgive," Makarov said. Gajeel could barely move, as he felt an aura of pure rage radiating off Makarov.
"But I can't forgive letting someone fall into darkness either," the Fairy Tail master explained, before offering a hand, "Let's not think about redemption now. Let's just think about moving on. But that's all up to you."
(End Flashback)
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'I will not let anyone hurt Fairy Tail!' Gajeel thought, before clapsing his hands together above his head, creating a gigantic iron sword.
"Dragon Slayer's Secret Art: Karma Demon Iron God Sword !" He proceeded to swipe the sword down, destroying a substantially large area in front of him, as well as striking the Grimoire duo. When the dust faded, it showed both of them on the ground, completely defeated.
Gajeel then fell to the ground, breathing heavily. Levy then emerged from her hiding space.
"Gajeel! Are you okay?" she said. Gajeel panted as he looked at her.
"Yeah well, thanks," he said, wiping the side of his mouth, "That iron you gave me was what unlocked it." He then smirked.
"Now I can take on Salamander and Lionheart at the same time!"
Levy just sighed.
"Levy! Gajeel!" The two looked in the direction of the voice, and saw Erza and Juvia running in their direction.
"Erza! Juvia!" Levy said happily. The scarlet haired mage skidded to a halt as she saw their enemies. Juvia looked over their friends injuries.
"What happened to you two?" she asked.
"We were walking around when they suddenly ambushed us," Levy explained, "They said they're from Grimoire Heart!"
"Grimoire Heart!" Erza said, "What're you..."
"It doesn't matter," Yomazu suddenly said with a snicker, making everyone look at him. Gajeel held up his hand, as it turned into an iron claw, which extended over and picked up the goat man.
"Alright you son of a bitch," he growled, "You're going to tell us what's going on. Do it, and I might leave you in two pieces." Yomazu just cackled somewhat.
"When the Eight Kin of Purgatory come, you'll be more than just finished, you won't even exist," he said.
"The Eight Kin?" Levy asked.
"I've heard of them," Erza said, "It seems a march larger problem has dropped on us." She then held out her hand, as a flare materialized in it. Without missing a beat, she fired it into the air, sending a red spot into the sky. Every guild member looked up to see it.
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(With Markarov)
"An enemy?" Master Makarov questioned. "On this island? That's not good."
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(With Lexi and Kiki)
"What's that?" Lexi asked.
"A red signal..." Kiki whispered.
"It's gotta be an enemy." Lexi replied.
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"What about the exam? Hey..." Elfman wondered.
"It's called off for now, with this." Evergreen replied.
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(With Natsu and Happy)
"Is is that guy from before?" Natsu wondered. "That bastard!"
"I wonder... That's a signal that means an enemy is coming to attack. They're closing in now." Happy stated.
"I don't know who or what they are, but they think they can pick a fight with us? I'll turn the tables on 'em!"
"Aye, sir!"
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"Why now?" Cana begins to complain as Lucy turns to look at her. "This is my final exam! Even though I wish to drop out of the guild... You've got to be kidding me! I'm continuing the exam!"
"Cana..." Lucy muttered, concerned for her friend.
"Calm down, Cana." Gray said. The guys decide to reveal their presence.
"Everyone feels the same way!" Gray added.
"Silver! Gray!" Lucy exclaimed.
"Why are the two of you here?" Cana asked.
"We were foll..." Loke was about to reveal their plan, but Gray instantly covers his mouth.
"We just happened upon you!" Gray easily lies to them. "Anyway, who cares? An enemy is coming... This is no time for exams." He looks at Loke who removes his hand from his mouth.
"Let's head to the emergency gathering area. We don't have enough information now." Loke suggested.
Lucy sighs out loud in disappointment. "What's going to happen? Seriously..."
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(With Sora and Lucas)
"Sora, Look! It's a red signal!" Lucas exclaimed.
Sora looked up to see the red flare in the sky and his eyes narrowed dangerously. The groups had gone their separate ways however there's no denying that everyone noticed the signal. The air changed as the mages of Fairy Tail braced themselves for their enemy.
"Enemies on this island? How is that possible?" Lucas asked as he flew beside his partner. The two Dragon slayers surveyed their surroundings carefully. "First that strange guy, now this. If enemies are coming after Fairy Tail, we might be in trouble."
"It doesn't matter who it might be, anybody who rises their fists against Fairy Tail will regret doing it." Sora stood silently as his eyes darted back and forth with caution. "We'll make sure of it."
Well, that's a wrap now!
Note: Sorry the second half followed canon so closely. I want to have some deviations in the next one, especially considering how Wendy now has her Eclipse Dragon powers. I hope you also liked the fight between Gajeel and the Grimoire Heart goons.
If you have any suggestions about what to do perhaps expand on deviations. Comment on your favorite parts and don't forget to vote!
Be sure to review. Until then, see ya!!!